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MONTHLY

review

FOR

A NEWSHELD PUBLICATION

No. 29 SEPTEMBER 1987

THE MAG m
THAT SHOWSm^

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OF WHEELS! 1

EVERYBODY’S
GONE SURFING

CALIFORNI

GAMES

I THE RETURN OF GREMLIN
I SPHERICAL HERO

I RE-BOUNDER

TWO NEW SPORTS SIMULATIONS

FROM EPYX

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Editor

Ciaran Brennan

Assistant Editor
Julian Rignall
Staff Writers

Steve Jarratt, Lloyd Mangram,

Paul Sumner

Contributing Writers

Gary Liddon, Mel Croucher, Philippa Irving,
Andrew Braybrook

Editorial Assistant
Glenys Powell
Production Controller
David Western
Art Director
Gordon Druce
Production

Tony Lorton, Mark Kendrick,

Matthew Uffindell, Nik Orchard,

Jonathan Rignall

Illustrator

Oliver Frey

Photography

Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson

Advertising Manager
Roger Bennett
Advertising Assistant
Nik Wild
Subscriptions
Denise Roberts
Mail Order
Carol Kinsey

Editorial Production

1/2 King Street, Ludlow, Shropshire SY8
1AQ

® 0584 5851

Mail Order & Subscriptions

PO Box 10, Ludlow Shropshire SY8 1DB
S 0584 5620

Advertising Information & Bookings

S 0584 4603 or 5852

Printed in England by Carlisle Web Offset
(Member of the BPCC Group), Newtown
Trading Estate, Carlisle, Cumbria.

Colour Origination by Scan Studios,
Wallace Road, London N1

Distributed by COMAG, Tavistock Road,
West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE

No material may be reproduced in whole or
part without the written consent of the
copyright holders. We cannot undertake to
return any written or photographic material
sent in to ZZAP! 64 magazine unless
accompanied by a suitably stamped
addressed envelope. Unsolicited written or
photographic material which may be used
in the magazine is paid for at our current
rates.

NEWSFIELD

A NEWSFIELD PUBLICATION

MEMBER OF The AUDIT
BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONS

Rockford appears in ZZAP! 64 by kind
permission of First Star Inc, whose
copyright he remains.

ISSUE 29 SEPTEMBER 1987

REFINED REGULARS

7 EDITORIAL

Ciaran Brennan tells it like it is

33 ZZAP! RRAP

Bursting forth from a heap of unsolicited SAE’s,
Lloyd goes talkabout with the ZZAP! readership

42 WHAT'S NEW

Britain’s Brightest Commodore Monthly brings
you the gossip from inside the world of the C64

47 THE WHITE WIZARD

A Rainbird spectacular, featuring KNIGHT ORC
and GUILD OF THIEVES . . . and who are those
shady characters?

54 MANOEUVRES

Philippa returns to go on the road with AUTODUEL
and to indulge in a spot of gardening with SHARD
OF SPRING

59 ZZAP! TIPS

Play to win with maps of HEAD OVER HEELS and
THE LAST NINJA - not to mention an amazing
amount of hints and POKES

68 TECHNICAL BIT IN THE MIDDLE

Raster interrupts drive Mr Liddon off the rails

85 COMPETITION WINNERS

Is your name included? Rush to page 85 and find
out!

88 THE SCORELORD PONTIFICATES

The greatest gamers blow their own trumpets

110 ZZAPBACK

Julian and Steve take a retrospective view at
issues eleven and twelve

114 READERS' CHARTS

The chart that’s by the readers and for the readers

1 1 7 PREVIEWS

Things to come in future issues . . . including
YOGI BEAR from Piranha, RENEGADE and
ATHENA from Imagine and a profusion of releases
from Cascade Games

121 TERMINAL MAN II

Things hot up for Cross and company

FASHIONABLE FEATURES

70 DEDICATED FOLLOWER

Sega’s dedicated games console gets the once
over

72 TWENTY TWENTY VISION

Julian Rignall sees eye to eye with Binary Vision’s
Paul Norris

79 MENTAL PROCREATION

Andrew Braybrook’s labours reach their penulti-
mate stage

82 TAMARA KNIGHT

Due to overwhelming popular demand, Mel
Croucher’s trek across the universe reaches its
inevitable conclusion

87 READER OFFER

A spectacular shoot ’em up offer - for your eyes
only

STARS FOR SEPTEMBER

8 ZYNAPS

Hewson’s latest shoot ’em up sizzles its way
across 12 colourful levels

12 RE-BOUNDER

Gremlin’s Bounder returns - meaner than ever and
twice as agile

1 8 CALIFORNIA GAMES

Epyx’s sunny compilation wins a Gold Medal to
wear on the beach

47 GUILD OF THIEVES

Become a part of the criminal underworld with
Magnetic Scroll’s stunning adventure

90 DECEPTOR

US Gold’s metamorphising release allows you to
become half man, half car and half robot (that’s
three halves isn’t it???)

94 STREET SPORTS BASEBALL

Baseball is kid’s stuff when you play with the Epyx
Streetsports gang

1 06 STAR PAWS

Catch the Griffin in this race against time from
Software Projects

CRUCIAL COMPETITIONS
25 ZYNAPS

Have a real-life shoot ’em up courtesy of Hewson

44 FIREBIRD COMP

Win a Bubble Bobble arcade machine of your very
own in this major Firebird competition

53 CALIFORNIA GAMES

Become the envy of your street gang, with a host
of street-cred sports gear from Epyx

74 PCW1987

Get in free to this year’s Personal Computer World
Show with one of 50 free tickets!

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By the way, the next ZZAPi’s on sale on
September 10th - be there or be a triangle.

ZZAP! 64 September 1 987 3

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|i ester • M2 5NS • Telephone 06 1 832 6633 • Telex 669977 Oceans G

On Sale
September 17th!

£ 1.25

' TUNE INTO
NEXT MONTH’S
ZZAP! FOR MORE
V DETAILS... y

THE BEST

THING TO HAPPEN
O COMPUTER MAGAZINES

1 HU C

dllM wKZ

CRASH AND ZZAP! 64

WHEREVER I LAY
MY HAT...

W...

RSf

This has been a remarkable month
here in ZZAP! towers. After a
slightly slow start, the flow of soft-
1 ware eventually picked up at such
a rate that by the end of the month
we were inundated with vast quan-
tities of quality software. When
was the last time we had a Gold
Medal and three Sizzlers in
a single issue?
What makes this
activity all the more
spectacular is that
it has come so close
to this year’s PCW
show - an event which
usually causes a severe
software drought.
Speaking of the PCW show, this
year’s tenth anniversary bash
promises to be the best yet, with a
number of special promotions and
new releases promised.

From our point of view, one of
the show’s major events will be the
launch of Newsfield’s new
magazine The Games Machine.
This exciting multi-user periodical
is being produced by two of the
company’s most experienced and
talented journalists, Graeme Kidd
and Gary Penn, and promises to
take a fresh and innovative look at
the field of electronics entertain-
ment - a must for any computer
owner. Tune in next month for
more details, or see us at stands
3046 and 3047 (National Hall, Gal-
lery Level) at the Olympia.

This month has also been
interesting from my own personal
point of view. Apart from the minor
inconvenience of my house burn-
ing down, I’ve also become an
uncle for the first time (congrats to
my sister Deirdre, her husband
Vincent and Adrian the sprog!). I’ll
talk to you again next issue - but
after a much quieter month I hope.

ADVERTISERS INDEX

Activision 30,31,72,73,112,113

Ocean

52,97

Cascade

16,29,86

Piranha

Database

Rainbird

Doctor Soft

Software Projects

E&J

Thalamus

Electronic Services

The Games Machine

Evesham Micro

US Gold

Firebird

2,22,23,32,76,77,92,103,123

Gremlin Graphics

11,109,124

Video Vault

Imagine

4,5

Verran

Martech

ZZAP! Backnumbers

120

Mattel

40,41

ZZAP! Mail Order

104

Microprose

15,75,98,116

ZZAP! T-Shirts

GAMES REVIEWED

i s

Auto Duel

56 Realm

California Games

18 Rebel

Convoy Raider

102 Re-Bounder

Deathwish III

93 RoadRunner

Deceptor

90 Shard of Spring

Denarius

96 Snap Dragon

Exolon

28 Star Paws

106

Game Over

1 08 Streetsports Baseball

Guild of Thieves

47 The Living Daylights

Kikstart II

105 Thunderbolt

100

Mr Weems

14 Trans-Atlantic Balloon

Mystery of the Nile

101 Challenge

101

Pirates

26 Zynaps

ZZAP! 64 September 1 987 7

■

ZYIMAPS

Hewson, £8.95 cass, £12.95 disk, joystick only

•A thrilling audio-visual experience in deepest space

F ar out, in the most remote
reaches of space, a group of
three mutli-role Scorpion
fighters set off on a mission to seek
out and and destroy a secret alien
stronghold. You are their leader.

The action is set over 12 differ-
ent horizontally scrolling levels,
starting inside the narrow and
twisting confines of a space sta-
tion. As soon as the Scorpion sets
off, alien craft zoom in to attack.
Contact with them or their missiles
has fatal consequences, but an
on-board double shot laser is used
to defend the craft.

When a formation of aliens is
shot, a glowing fuel pod is drop-
ped. These are automatically
picked up when touched, the fuel
enters directly into the ship’s
weapons system, and an icon is
displayed at the bottom of the
screen. At first this represents
extra Speed, then advances to
extra Lasers, Plasma Bombs,

Homing Missiles and finally
Seeker Missiles. When the desired
addition appears, it is added to the
Scorpion by keeping the fire but-
ton depressed (the fighter glows
to show readiness to accept an
extra feature) when the next fuel
pod is collected. The Scorpion
holds a maximum of four extra
speed and laser units, and two of
any other feature.

When the Space Station’s exit
port is reached, a large alien
mothership appears and blocks
the way. Destroying this is the only
way to progress to the next level.

After the confines of the Space
Station comes a dense asteroid
field filled with attacking craft, and
after that comes a series of
stranger and stranger alien envi-
ronments until, on level 12, the
alien base is reached - where a
final deadly confrontation with the
Mother alien is staged.

I f you think that the horizontally scrolling format is beginning
to be played out - play this and think again. Zynaps is addic-
tive, plays well and feels good. The Scorpion handles beauti-
fully, with just the right amount of inertia, and the alien attack
patterns are unusual, with odd swirling and bouncing attacks.
The progressive icon system is totally unobtrusive and allows
features to be added without interrupting the gameplay at all.
In fact, the only thing that lets down the game design is the fact
the level restarts whenever the craft is destroyed. It’s pretty
tough going, and later levels seem almost impossibly hard - but
practice pays off. A brilliant atmosphere is generated by the
unusual and pretty graphics, and the smart sound effects are
suitably fitting. If you’re a shoot ’em up fan, don’t deny yourself
a slice of this action.

► Having just negotiated the asteroid belt, the Scorpion is faced by
the threat of aMen strike craft - if it ain’t one thing it’s another!

Gone Paused

► The first mothership proves an elusive adversary

► The cartoon-like settings of the Arizona desert set the scene for
the madcap activities of the two Warner Bros characters

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1SS

8 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

► Lev*! three, and tha attack of the mutant bubbles is w#H underway

O kay so it’s an old formula revamped in a new package -
definitely scoring zero on the originality scale. But that
doesn’t matter, because even ignoring the superlative graphics
and the super sound effects Zynaps is a great game. Great
because of the attention that John Cummings has paid to the
almost faultless gameplay, great because of the continuous
challenge, all in all just great because it is!!! Head and shoulders
above the competition Zynaps is a sure-fire winner, bound to be
hit with arcadesters both young and old. If you’re looking for a
little something to while away those balmy summer afternoons,
then why not try Zynaps as a bit of a refresher.

U p until recently, it was my
impression that shoot ’em
ups were always a product of
the Status Quo school of com-
puter programming - you
know what I mean, all exactly
the same except for a different
guitar solo. But this is very
wrong, as Gary Liddon took
great pains to point out to me.
Most games of this type differ
in one respect - feel - and this
is where Zynaps is a real win-
ner ... it feels so good. The
ship is incredibly controllable
- with a beautifully weighted
inertial control method - and
the alien attack patterns pro-
vide exactly the right amount
of challenge to give maximum
enjoyment without ever
becoming too easy. Another
important point is the method
used to select extra weapons
and abilities - it’s remarkably
simple, yet the fact that your
hand never needs to leave the
joystick adds greatly to the
enjoyment and playability. Buy
this - even if you’ve already got
2,000,000 shoot ’em ups in
your collection.

► Only the mothership stands between the Scorpion and level five

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PRESENTATION 92%

Pause mode, high score table, .
one or two player option and
impressive in-game use of icons.

GRAPHICS 93%

Pretty and distinctive, with
increasingly impressive back-
drops.

SOUND 87%

Pleasanttitle music and wonder-
fully atmospheric spot effects.

HOOKABILITY 84%

Initially difficult, but remaining
addictive despite the frustration.

LAST ABILITY 89%

Twelve tricky levels of death
dealing mayhem should provide
more than a fair challenge.

OVERALL 90%

An immensely addictive, slick
and infuriatingly difficult shoot
’em up.

ZZAP! 64 September 1987 9

ROAD RUNNER

US Gold, £9.99 cass, £14.99 disk, joystick only

eep! Meep! Here comes
the World’s fastest
feathered freak, that
supersonic Road Runner in his
very own arcade game. And, true
to the cartoon series, in paw-blis-
tering pursuit is the sharp-nosed
Wile E Coyote, intent on having
roast Road Runner for dinner.

The player takes control of Road
Runner, who has to escape the
slavering attentions of the horrible
hound, hie can outsprint the
coyote with ease, but the prairie
wolf is a persistent carnivore, and
is quite willing to pursue his adver-
sary on paw, pogo stick,
skateboard or even jet-powered
skateboard.

The action is set over 12 hori-
zontally scrolling levels, with Road
Runner speeding along from right
to left and completing a level by
reaching a set marker. Wile E hot-
foots behind, trying every trick in

I love the arcade
game -and this is
about as close as
you’re going to
get on the 64. The
graphics and sound are spot-
on, and the gameplay is
remarkably similar. The only
bugbear is the incredibly frus-
trating cassette multi-load.
Long, long waits have to be
endured between levels, and
even more waiting occurs
after a game has finished and
the short cut option is used.
The disk version is great
though, with only a couple of
seconds’ break in the hectic
action. If you’re a 1541 owning
Road Runner fan, buy the Com-
modore version post haste.
Even the most patient of C2N
owners should think about the
long-winded nature of the cas-
sette format first.

Anyone wanting
an exact replica
of the arcade ver-
sion of Road Run-
ner need look no
further than this latest US Gold
offering. Unfortunately, for me
this represents its greatest
flaw, since I wasn’t that keen
on the stand-up version. The
gameplay is very simple and
chase games, however well
done, aren’t really state of the
art in gaming. Having said that,
this is an extremely competent
conversion - especially the
sprites, which are superbly
animated and have heaps of
character. The music is great
too, and serves to induce a ris-
ing feeling of panic. Cassette
owners will be overjoyed to
hear that the multi-load sys-
tem is one of the worst I’ve
seen, practically crippling an
otherwise fun game. An awful
point is the fact that play
begins immediately the level
has loaded. If caught off-
guard, Wile E. slides straight
on and grabs you before you
have a chance to react - truly
annoying!

the book to reach his prey. Road
Runner starts with five lives, losing
one each time that Wile E gets his
paws on him.

The disadvantage of all this
speed is that energy is expended
at a vast rate, and the the only way
to keep going is to collect the piles
of seeds which are scattered along
the route. Road Runner faints with
hunger should five seeds be
missed, and Wile E then retrieves
him at leisure. Certain seeds are
not all they seem, and are rich in
iron filings. Once these are lodged
in Road Runner’s gizzard, Wile E
Coyote uses his powerful magnet

Watch out Roadrunner - Wile’s behind you!

to slow him down.

Trucks, avalanches, crevasses
and mines appear on later levels,
representing deadly hazards.
These also kill Wile E, and if Road
Runner goads him into a hazard,
extra points are scored.

Other features include invisible
paint spilled upon the road, which
makes either creature invisible
when touched, and lemonade
which is drunk for bonus score. An
additional score is also awarded

The lack of con-
sistency in the
gameplay always
put me off the
Road Runner
arcade machine, and I feel that
this conversion has not
improved the situation at all.
It’s quite disorientating to play
a game where the levels vary
in difficulty as much as they do
in this one - a pleasant romp
can turn into an impossible
trap in a matter of seconds.
This may be desirable to some
players, but it only served to
put me off completely. This is a
pity really, because Road Run-
ner does have some strong
points. The graphics are excel-
lent, and a great degree of the
original cartoon’s sense of
humour has been retained. If
you’re a disk-drive owner who
liked the arcade machine then
I can recommend this - if
not . . .

when Road Runner plays chicken
and lets his ravenous pursuer get
close and then runs off, poking out
his tongue as he goes! Meep!
Meep!

CASSETTE

PRESENTATION 67%

The lack of options and painfully
slow cassette loader mar an
otherwise polished product.

GRAPHICS 80%

Colourful, smoothly scrolling
backdrops and well animated
sprites, fully capturing the
flavour of both the cartoon and
arcade game.

SOUND 79%

Four whacky tunes and great
spot effects.

HOOKABILITY 71%

Quite playable, but the long
pauses between levels detract
from the enjoyment.

LASTABILITY 57%

Plenty of action across 1 2 levels,
but the multi-load would try the
patience of a saint. 1

OVERALL 69%

A very competent and playable
conversion which is sadly mar-
red by an awkward cassette
multi-load.

DISK

PRESENTATION 77%

No options, but slick and
polished nonetheless.

GRAPHICS 80%

See Cassette.

SOUND 79%

See Cassette..

HOOKABILITY 80%

Instantly playable and enjoyable
road running action.

LASTABILITY 74%

Twelve levels of increasingly
tough action should keep the
toughest of road hogs engros-
sed.

OVERALL 74%

A competent and playable con-
version which is very true to the
original.

' — HDCKRUNNfcR ’ r

£ 9.99 tape
£ 14.99 disk

m CBM 64/1 2 8 s Amstrad

MASK ,W AND THE ASSOCIATED TRADE MARK ARE THE
PROPERTY OF KENNER PARKER TOYS. INC. (KPT) 1987.

The Battle

Continues!!! J

loin with the forces of
MASK, skilfully commanded
by the brilliant strategist Matt
Trakker and combat the evil of the
villainous VENOM In their quest for
domination of the world. No longer need
you stand by and passively observe the evil
deeds of Mayhem and his co-conspirators.
Here is your chance to dig deep Into your a
and put your skills to the test against posslt

the greatest
master criminal
the worldltas evej:
seen* fact otfktfon.
r This classiccnnftf ct of good

versus evttiS portrayed with a
realism and excitement that can only
tfJead from the world's most famous
km of superhero^ and supervillains,
are creations of adventure, there are

ounder’s back! That lovable,
felt-covered vulcanised
bundle of bounces has
returned to provide more high-
flying antics on a series of plat-
forms floating high above the
world. These aerial pathways are
under the control of the evil Over-
lord, and it’s our heroic tennis
ball’s task to free the suspended
pathways once again.

The action is displayed from
above, with the continually bounc-
ing bounder bouncing anywhere
that the landscape allows. Failure
to hit a solid floating platform or
piece of machinery on a down-
ward bounce results in Bounder
hurtling Earthward, and con-
sequently a loss of one of his five
lives.

The mission begins with the
landscape scrolling from left to
right. Aliens immediately fly into
attack, with their touch reducing
Bounder’s pressure - represented
by a fatally shrinking bar. Bounder
has an unlimited supply of balls to
shoot at the attackers, although

the shot’s effect depends on the
ball’s pressure. Every so often a
pump station is encountered, and
when touched gives the player the
opportunity to increase Bounder’s
pressure by waggling the joystick
furiously. After five seconds the
quest continues.

Some platforms are marked
with exclamation marks or ques-
tion marks, giving a mystery bonus
when bounced upon. Some
squares crumble or disappear -

Re-b-b-b-bounding along over one of the splendid parallax
platforms

ust a few minutes is all it takes for Re-Bounder to become

incredibly addictive, and once it’s got a grip on you it*s very
hard to put the joystick down. The graphics are incredible, with
superb bas-relief effects and smooth parallax scrolling. The
sound is the only slight disappointment - the tune seems good
at first, but it quickly becomes annoying. The spot effects are
weak too - but the brilliant gameplay more than makes up for
these minor flaws. The original is a classic - and Re-Bounder
looks like it's going to follow in its footsteps.

Bounder’s life is full of ups and downs -
especially when he’s trying to shake off an
elusive Guardian

Evading the Overlord’s minions is no easy task for Bounder - even though
he can now arm himself with spinning orbs of doom

til/

picked up and added to Bounder
when touched. Extra weapons are
vital to success, as the aliens on
later levels become increasingly
vicious and more difficult to
destroy. Sixteen smart bombs are
also available for use against the
Overlord.

Junctions appear at regular
intervals. The scrolling then stops,
and a large Guardian appears and
attacks with fervour. A hail of fire
sees off this menace, and the
rotund hero continues his adven-
ture - the available pathways

W Regular visits to the pump station
are all that’s needed to keep the
pressure on

T he time of sequels is upon
us yet again - but at least
this one’s better than the orig-
inal. Re-Bounder takes the first
Bounder theme, improves on
it . . . and then improves on it
again. The gameplay’s better,
the graphics are better, the
effects are better, the parallax
is incredible and the music
is . . . well, four out of five ain’t
bad. Having the screens scroll
in all four directions is a great
idea, and really gives the game
a new dimension. Re-Bounder
has managed to retain the
playability of its predecessor -
but it’s far more flexible, and
should hold the attention for
longer than Bounder ever did.

others set off a deadly reaction.
Other deadly hazards include lava
pools, air vents and walls.

Extra weaponry and armour are
discovered along the way in the
form of red tokens. These are

being indicated by glowing
arrows. The journey may then con-
tinue scrolling upwards, down-
wards or vertically - depending
the direction chosen.

There is only one route to the
Overlord, and if a wrong turn is
taken and a dead end reached the
mission ends. Therefore a good
map or memory is useful - along
with well developed dextral
abilities!

An armour-clad Bounder proves a worthwhile adversary
for the Overlord’s minions

T ake all of the playability
and addictiveness of
Bounder, add some brilliant
graphics, a bit of shooting,
extra firepower and armour,
multi-directionally scrolling
levels, a whole host of puzzles
(not to mention some tricky
mapping) . . . and what have
you got? Re-Bounder! All the
flavour of the original is here,
but the additional features and
vastly improved gameplay
have really added spice. So
much so, that after playing for
ages the game was still man-
aging to throw up surprises.
The only annoying thing is hav-
ing to end the mission because
you’ve reached a dead end -
but even that compels you to
go back to the beginning and
start again. Look this up even
if you disliked the original - Re-
Bounder is an excellent game
in its own right.

mi sh

sbbSSI

ZZAP! 64 September 1987 13

'■

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n is

J'~ Y. .1

THE ASTONISHING ADVENTURES OF

MR WEEMS AND
THE SHE VAMPIRES

Piranha, £8.95 cass, £13.95 disk, joystick or keys

PRESENTATION 52%

A useful redefine key option, but
otherwise messy and slipshod.

GRAPHICS 23%

Dreadful characters with
amateurish and undetailed
backdrops.

SOUND 8%

What’s there is harsh on the ears,
and very ineffective.

HOOKABILITY 30%

The messy screen layout and
tricky control method destroy
any initial enjoyment.

LASTABILITY 17%

Far too frustrating to provide any
enjoyment.

OVERALL 19%

A poorly designed and executed
Gauntlet derivative.

I suppose Mr
Weems can be
pigeonholed
along with the
other multitude
of Gauntlet lookalikes - except
that it’s one of the worst to
have shuffled onto this mortal
coil so far. It’s absolutely
pathetic, looks a complete
mess and plays the same. I
couldn’t believe how easy it is
to die - 1 had about five goes in
as many minutes! One major
annoyance is the fact that
leaving a location and then re-
entering results in the re-
appearance of all the baddies
that I’d just slaughtered; often
causing immediate death. This
is a surprising release from
Piranha, just when they looked
like they were getting their act
together. Mr Weems? No
fangs . . .

^^7 The balding superhero continues his fun-filled frolics in the lair of the She-Vampires

our mild-mannered hero, there are
bottles of blood lying about which
replenish his lost corpuscles. He
can also take a garlic pill to give
himself a short-term immunity to
others’ blood-sucking attentions.

Not content with merely smel-
ling like a French chef, Weems also
totes a garlic-firing gun with limit-
less cloves. A couple of accurate
shots from this sends a blood-
sucking monster back from
whence it came. The gun is also
used to smash pots and destroy
the creatures before they have a
chance to emerge.

On reaching level six, our vam-
pire enthusiast finds the Great She
Vampire’s penthouse lair. There,
he kills her at his leisure, but only if
he has collected a stake, mallet,
mega-garlic piece,' mirror and
crucifix en route.

If he manages to despatch the
Great She Vampire, Weems must
make like Seb Coe and leave the
vampire-ridden Mansion before
her enraged minions seek him out.
What a strange hobby . . .

T racking down vampires isn’t
only the sport of the Van
Helsing family - Mr Weems
also thinks that it’s a pretty good
way of passing the time. His latest
escapade involves tracking down
and killing the Great She Vampire,
and this release from Piranha gives
you full control over his blood-
filled adventure.

And still the
Gauntlet clones
come! This one is
simply appalling,
combining all the
worst elements of the genre
with dire graphics and abys-
mal sound. The gameplay is
awful. You can destroy all the
pots on one screen, go off,
return a second later and
they’re back - monsters and
all! The control method is
really fiddly, and when nearing
the border it’s alt too easy to
accidently move off screen
and end up in a middle of a load
of pots - resulting in a swift
demise. This frustrating ele-
ment is made even worse by
the pathetic collision detec-
tion on the monsters. The £9
price tag is rather hopeful - I
certainly wouldn’t part with it
for this.

Once bitten, twice shy - Mr Weems makes haste for the nearest exit

The action is set in She Vam-
pire’s six-level, flick screen man-
sion. The enormous house is filled
with a maze of rooms and cor-
ridors, barred by locked doors. Mr
Weems progresses by collecting
keys and opening the doors which
block his route to higher levels.
Hidden doors and magic transpor-
ter blocks also provide help along
the way, but these have to be
found by trial and error.

Spread throughout the spooky
hall are coffins and pots which
break open to reveal Giant Bats,
lumbering Frankenstein monsters
and vile She Vampires. As soon as
they see the unfortunate hero, they

When are we ever
going to see the
end of these poor
Gauntlet clones?
Admittedly the
scenario is novel, but the
gameplay is identical to that
which Druid started on the 64 a
year ago - only a lot worse.
Worse still, the whole game
looks absolutely awful, with
incredibly crude sprites and
backdrops. In fact, the way the
monsters wobble around the
screen like cripples with bun-
ions is about the only enter-
taining aspect of this almost
terminally boring game. Steer
well clear of Mr Weems - it may
well drive you batty.

give chase and suck his blood,
represented numerically below the
main display. If this number falls to
zero, Mr Weems dies. Luckily for

1 4 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

Pirates! The world’s first

negotiate the greatest projits.

Success will determine
your status in later
will you end your days? A
prosperous noble or common
scoundrel?

Pirates! u ill be landing in
alt good so flu are stores soon.

Raid treasure- laden
galleons and p hinder rich
ports. Learn to navigate , to
fence and to avoid mutiny
l fnicpiely Pirates !
combines the excitement of
uin adventure story with the
challenge of simulation
decision-making; You iriust
choose the most lucrative
expeditions, for^^he most
fruitful alliances ciHd

pa^%pStt)pti ct ion and
W&wto rmm dradia take p lace

v $ r$jr' ' • f M' ^ 1

% qp We Spffmsp Main during
cefatury and you play
^ the lead ijtig rcHe - Pri vateer
; Captain a p imfe h / all but
fianie.y^ ^
ijf/F Leap into this era of
turbulence and chmige — a
; time rvhen daring v.
adventurers can gain power'
and wealth.

Commodore 64/128. Disk £19.95
Cassette £14.95. W ,

MicroProse Software Ltd. 2 Market Place, Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8DA. Tel: (0666) 54326. Tlx: 434222 MPS/UKG

Screen shots are taken from the (: 64 version

REBEL

Virgin Games, £9.95 cass, joystick only

A gricultural operative

THX2240 is not happy with
her lot in life: working on
the state controlled Soya planta-
tion is a little too much like a con-
centration camp for her liking.

Already restless, the final straw
is a threat of unconditional termi-
nation for failure to attend her
crops. In a fit of anger, she decides
to steal a Crowd Control Vehicle
(CCV), and escape from the
agricultural bloc. In short, she has
turned rebel . . .

Throughout the complex, giant
solar conductors are used to pro-
vide artificial sunlight for crops
during bad weather. Their intense
rays are directed around the plan-
tation by means of solar reflectors
- and these are so powerful they
can be used for destructive pur-
poses. This is how THX decides to
escape the plant.

The different compounds within
the agricultural bloc are separated

idea from
Taken as a

After the excel-
lent Dan Dare I
expected a little
more than an
expansion of an
GOF’s last game,
game in itself, it’s
fun and proves quite mind-tax-
ing as you attempt to line up
the lasers - but I never felt par-
ticularly excited by the action.
Rebel is an enjoyable diver-
sion, but doesn’t really contain
enough to warrant its expen-
sive price tag.

by sealed exit tunnels. By driving
around the complex in the CCV,
THX can alter the positions of the
reflectors in order to direct the
intense beam of radiation toward
the exits. One blast from the beam
and access to the next section is
hers.

The plantation is displayed on

► The huge Solar Beam Generator lies to the left of the screen
waiting for your signal

If b:!t

► One of the soya plantation’s car parks appears, as you trundle
onwards in your bid for freedom

Anyone who has
played the earlier
Virgin classic Dan
Dare will

immediately rec-
ognise this from the sub game
where Dan has to destroy
computers by bouncing a laser
beam off mirrors, having first
arranged them correctly. As
such, it’s quite enjoyable, hav-
ing to work out where the
reflectors should be placed,
and then watching with glee as
the beam whizzes around the
plantation to destroy the exit
portal. Unfortunately, the con-
trol method is clumsy and
makes the game an awful lot
harder to play than necessary.
I would have preferred a more
complex puzzle and the
removal of the patrol craft,
since they only serve to over-
complicate things and appear
to have been included as an
afterthought to liven things up
a bit.

screen from an overhead view-
point. The armoured vehicle is
directed around the scrolling com-
plex, collecting and turning reflec-
tors as desired. Once correctly
positioned, the solar generator
can be fired to breach the exit, at
which point the CCV appears in
the next, more complex section.

During THX’s attempt to
escape, police surveillance veh-
icles are constantly patrolling the
grounds and flying overhead. Air-
craft fire upon the CCV whenever
it falls within range, and contact
with the armoured patrol vehicles
results in immediate termination.
The CCV also carries weaponry
and can protect itself from aerial
attack, but the heavily armoured
tanks must be avoided at all costs.
Escape from this new world is by
no means easy . . .

PRESENTATION 53%

Decent documentation, but little
else apart from a perfunctory title
screen.

GRAPHICS 59%

The bas-relief backgrounds are
spoiled by gaudy sprites.

SOUND 52%

Great title track, but little more
than harsh white noise effects
during the game.

HOOKABILITY 40%

The confusing control method
leaves a lot to be desired.

LAST ABILITY 58%

There’s a game in there if you
look for it.

OVERALL 61%

An initially rewarding, but ulti-
mately unplayable development
of an original concept.

R«3C-L 7HIHUC'

ZZAP! 64 September 1987 17

CALIFORNIA

GAMES

US Gold/Epyx, £9.99 cass, £14.99 disk, joystick only

• Another stunning addition to the Epyx Games series

SURFING

aving given you the opportu-
nity to participate in sea-
sonal sports in the Summer
and Winter Games series, and to
travel to distant lands in World
Games , Epyx now offer you the
chance to go to California and take
part in some of the World’s tren-
diest sports.

California Games is the fifth in
the Games series, and boasts six
new events. Those who’ve
enjoyed the previous releases will
recognise the now-standard
options screen. This allows up to
eight players to compete in all or
some the events, practice an event
or view the record table (the disk
version automatically saves the
highest scores for posterity).

When a competition starts, all
players input their name and
choose a sponsor (there are nine,
including Casio and Kawasaki)
before undertaking the following:

The sport of the self-proclaimed Kings of Hawaii, surfing now takes place
along the whole length of the California coastline. Now’s your chance to
shoot the curl, shred the tube or hang ten without even getting your feet
wet. The screen displays the growing whitecap with your surfer lying on
his board, preparing to catch the wave. Pressing the fire button sees the
surfer stand up and begin his ride. The aim of the contest is to ride the
wave for as long as possible, while attempting to enter the curl itself.
Moving the joystick controls the direction of the board, and holding the
fire button down allows sharper turns to be made and also slows the
board down - effectively allowing the wave can catch up, and allowing
you to enter the tube itself. A ‘Wipe Out’ is the term used for the prema-
ture separation of surfer and board. This occurs whenever you stray to
far to the bottom of the wave and also if you get caught in the tube itself.
The ride lasts for one and a half minutes, and at the end of your efforts,
a group of laid-back beach bums hold up score cards to tell you how you
fared.

W hat an amazing package! Six events filled with fun and
sun, just begging to be played each time you switch on
your computer. The beauty of the beast is that all six games are
of an equally high standard, so the only problem is trying to
decide which event to take part in first! Even in purely technical
terms Epyx have somehow managed to surpass their own high
standards - the pictures and sounds generated by this program
are atmospheric beyond belief. The multi-load cassette may
cause a few headaches, but the amount of enjoyment to be had
is so high that even this inconvenience should only seem minor.
California Games is a real progression in the Epyx sports sim
range - and surely there can’t be a higher recommendation
than that.

FLYING DISK

Set in a beautiful lakeside park, the frisbee event involves two people - a thrower and catcher. The objective
is to hurl the disk to the catcher as accurately as possible. Points are awarded for the type of catch, either
running, diving or overhead - and the less steps the catcher takes to reach the disk, the more the catch is worth.
The player has three attempts to throw and catch the disk.

1 8 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

G old Medals, it seems, are
just like double decker
buses - you wait all year for
one, and then two come at
once! Hot on the heels of Head
Over Heels comes the superb
new Epyx release, California
Games. Once again the Amer-
ican software house have
exceeded both themselves
and the limitations of the C64
to bring us another incredible
- and somewhat laid-back -
sports simulation. If you
gather up all the superlatives
from previous Epyx reviews
and add them together, you
just might go half-way
towards describing California
Games. Again the animation
and graphics are without peer,
and the six separate games
join together perfectly to form
a single, unbeatable package.
Just for the record, the Surfing
is my favourite - fun to play,
relaxing to watch and flawless
in its implementation. I love it.

HALF PIPE

Become the most awesome dude on four wheels in this radical skateboarding event! A press of the fire button
signals the skateboarder to push off from the starting ramp at the top. Up and down joystick movements
accelerate the skater as he oscillates across the half-pipe, and a combination of the fire button and left and
right on the joystick starts either an aerial turn, hand plant or kick turn, depending on the skater’s position on
the pipe when the joystick is toggled. Careful timing is essential during a manoeuvre, otherwise the skater falls
and is ‘ wiped out’ . The player is given one minute and 1 5 seconds or four wipe outs to complete as many stunts
as possible. Go for it, and see if you can shake the pipe enough to cause an earthquake (that wasn’t my fault
- that was San Andreas’ fault).

‘ :

ROLLER SKATING

The beach boardwalk is a dangerous place for a non-skater, and Californian skaters are the coolest around.
Getting from one end of the ’walk to the other while staying cool and doing stunts is the task that awaits you
in this section. Your female on-screen counterpart begins at the far left of the boardwalk and has to traverse
the length of the course, avoiding cracks in the pavement, grass, old pairs of sneakers and even flying beach
balls. Repetitive movements of the joystick cause your skater’s legs to move, while pressing the fire button
causes her to leap in the air. Spins award you with extra points, and jumping spins over obstacles are awarded
with correspondingly higher scores.

ZZAP! 64 September 1987 19

CALIFORNIA

GAMES

S ometimes I hate Epyx. They produce something seemingly
unsurpassable like World Games, and you use every superla-
tive in the book to sum up its brilliance. Then, a year later, they
release California Games, to boldly go where no-one has gone
before . . . and produce something even better* The gameplay
is by far the best in the Games series, incorporating (and you’d
better believe this) better graphics and animation and even
more depth and variety than ever before! There’s no getting
near the limits of the score within a few plays either. All events,
especially BMX Riding, Foot Bag and the two Skate events,
require an awful lot of practice before you even start scoring -
developing your skills is another matter entirely! California
Games is quite simply the apex of computer sports gaming at
the present time. Recommending it is a formality.

BMX BIKE RACING

The Californian desert is the scene for the toughest of the Californian
games - BMX Bike Racing. Seated on your dirt bike at the top of the first
ramp, the course extends to the right of the screen and must be com-
pleted in two minutes or under. You are judged on the number and
duration of stunts accomplished, and bonus points are awarded for the
time remaining on completion of the course. There are a variety of jumps,
burns and low bumps to be negotiated safely as well as rocks, tyres and
logs which can unseat the careless biker. Each player is allowed three
‘easy’ falls (ie running into objects and tumbling from your bike) or one
‘serious’ fall (where a stunt goes wrong and you fall on your head). Any
further falls result in the end of the attempt, and the total score is then
displayed.

FOOT BAG

Every Californian has a foot bag, or hackysack as they’re otherwise known. These are small, leather-covered
bean bags which are carried around and used in moments of boredom — such as when you’re waiting in a queue
to hire a windsurfer. In this event the objective is to keep juggling the bag for one and a quarter minutes using
only your head, knees or feet. The screen displays a front view of the player, who moves left and right, jumps
and turns around. As soon as fire is pressed the player kicks the ball in the air. When the ball drops the fire
button is pressed to make the player kick at it again. Timing and positioning is crucial — the player tries his best
to keep the ball up, but if he’s too far away, or kicks out late or early, he misses. Points are awarded for keeping
the ball in the air as long as possible and extra scores are awarded for performing stunts (such as spinninq
between kicks). y

PRESENTATION 96%

A superb array of options lacking
only a restart. The multi-load
cassette is long winded, but
works well nevertheless.

GRAPHICS 97%

Outstanding animation and
backdrops.

SOUND 84%

An individual tune for each event,
and plenty of atmospheric spot
effects.

HOOKABILITY 98%

Instantly playable and constantly
rewarding.

LASTABILITY 96%

Six brilliant events, combining
depth of play and variety-you’ll
be record breaking for months.

OVERALL 97%

Epyx surpass themselves yet
again with another incredible
sports simulation. Don’t miss it.

20 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

' ' ' ^

immmn

mmm

6 powerful home
and business
programs in just
ONE package - at
a price that simply
can t be matched!

Outstanding value
for money ... If
you want to use
your 64 as a highly
efficient office
machine. Mini
Office certainly
gives you the
power you need.

-CC/

This package is
incredible value'

- Daily Mail Home
Computing Guide

Voted Business
Program of the Year
- 1985 AND 1986
Pop, Computing Weekly

ir- i

commodore

Vi"*

"IS-SJ

'■ r ..hVL

Cn 0f »<?
r Ov.

. *? /?!!

WORD PROCESSOR

Compose a letter, set the print-
out options using embedded
commands or menus, use the
mail merge facility to produce
personalised circulars - and
more!

DATABASE

Build up a versatile card index,
use the flexible print-out
routine, do powerful multi-field
sorting, perform all arithmetic
functions, link with the word
processor - and more!

ORDER FORM

Please send me Mini Office II for the
Commodore 64/128

□ £16.95 cassette

□ £19.95 5!4" disc

SPREADSHEET

Prepare budgets or tables, total
columns or rows with ease,
copy formulae absolutely or
relatively, move directly to a
specific location, recalculate
automatically - and more!

COMMS MODULE

Using a modem you can access
services such as MicroLink and
book rail or theatre tickets,
send electronic mail, telex and
telemessages in a flash - and
more!

I enclose cheque made payable to
Database Software, or debit my
Access/Visa card:

hid 1 1 i n 1 1. m m

Exp. date 1

Signed

Name

Address..'

GRAPHICS

Enter data directly or load data
from the spreadsheet, produce
pie charts, display bar charts
side by side or stacked, overlay
line graphs - and more!

DATABASE SOFTWARE

LABEL PRINTER

Design the layout of a label with
the easy-to-use editor, select
label size and sheet format,
read in database files, print out
in any quantity - and more!

Europa House, 68 Chester Road,

Hazel Grove, Stockport SK7 5NY

ORDER HOTLINE:
TEL: 061-480 0171

SEND TO: Database Software,

Europa Housed 68 Chester Road,
Hazel Grove, Stockport SK7 5NY .

commemorated m we are

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and the

The Heme Computer Version of
the Atari Coin-Op Masterpiece

Pick up your trilby and trusty
bullwhip and don the mantle of the
legendary Indiana Jones! Prepare
yourself for your most dangerous
adventure yet -to storm the evil
Temple of Doom and rescue the
imprisoned children and the magical
stones of Raa!

Beware the foes and hazards that block your
way. The Thuggee guards will fight to the
finish and poisonous cobra snakes will
rise up in front of you. You will traverse
perilous ledges, ride under-ground
railways, and cross the bottomless
[iery pit in pursuit of your quest!

You will call on all your reserves
of courage strength and skill.

Push yourself to the limit,
ride your luck and the
magical stones
may just be
yours!

ymr

■■

-jam*— :

© 1985 Lucasfilm Ltd and Atari Games
Corporation. All rights reserved,
trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd., used under
licence. Licensed to U.S. Gold Ltd.,
2/3 Holford Way, Holford, Birmingham
B67AX. Telephone: 021-356 3388

'• * NOW AVAILABLE FROM ALL GOOD COMPUTER RETAIL*OUTLETS •

AVAILABLE NOWON:

Commodore 64/128

TAPE DISC *

£5.95 & £10.95

AVAILABLE SOON FOR:

Spectrum 48/128 £5-95

Amstrad 464/664/6128

TAPE < £5£5

DISC *£14-95 .

cm ROVER PMSTRONG

r Z2A P MAG

SlZZLER^

V C %VcCOLADE S

s^eenstar

SSfSiS.

4^///

• A

> <*)

j i •<

in the farthest reaches of our Galaxy there lives a rare creature known as the Tasty Space Griffin fong
ago this bird was acclaimed as a galactic delicacy, and acquired such value that it came to be used as an
extremely valuable unit of inter-galactic currency traded on thp stock markets of the universe.

On the moon of a distant planet, a gang of unscrupulous mercenaries have been secretly breeding the
Tasty Space Griffin and plan to flood the market with them, thus destablising the monetary system of the
entire universe, and allowing thertf to seize power.

Starfleet command intended to send Captain Neil Armstrong to destroy this evil plot, but due to an error
on the notoriously unreliable series seven astro-telex, our hero, Captain Rover Pawstrong has been sent
instead. Vastly inexperienced and totally unsuited for the task, Captain Pawstrongs mission is to capture or destroy
every one of the Tasty Space Griffins. ♦

You control his movements as he scours the planet, above and below ground, aided only by the occasional visit
of a scout craft, dropping off essential supplier...

# #

Software Projects Ltd., Bearbrand Complex, Allerton Road, Woolton, Liverpool, Merseyside, L2? 7SF
‘Telephone: 051 -428 9393 Telex: 627520.

COMP

COMBAT KIT!

stellation (along the lines of the Great Bear or the Plough for
instance). Base them on anyone you like - the magazine staff,
programmers, personalities . . . use your imagination, and
include some mythology surrounding the unearthly constella-
tion. Funny or serious, the most imaginative entry wins the kit,
with 30 constellation - sorry, consolation - prizes of a Zynaps
qame. So, get those entries rolling in to Glenys Powell' at
ZYNAPS STAR SIGN COMPETITION, ZZAP! Towers, PO
Box 10, Ludlow, Shropshire SY8 1AQ Entries should arrive
no later than September 10th, and please don’t forget to
include your name, full address and telephone number if pos-
sible.

B LASTING fans are well catered for this month with Hew-
son’s Sizzling new release, Zynaps (see full review on page
eight). And you stand a chance of winning a copy - or
better still, a copy of Zynaps AND a complete Lazer Tag outfit.

The set includes two light sensitive packs which are strap-
ped to both players’ chest. Each combatant is armed with a
pistol that fires a beam of light and a direct hit to the chest
results in a flash of lights, a beep and . . . ‘aaargh , you re
dead. Fun fun fun for all the family!

To own this marvellous weapons system, you have to
impress us first . . . study the section of alien star chart from
the Zynaps sector below. Now design your own fictitious con-

ZZAP! 64 September 1 987 25

PIRATES!

Microprose, £14,95 cass, £19.95 disk, Joystick

f\ vf is

S ail Ho! Cap'n. Jolly Roger off
the starboard bow!’ If these
bucanneering words stir
your blood, the latest release from
Microprose should be of interest.
Pirates! follows your fortunes as a
Privateer of the 1 600‘s attempting
to increase your personal wealth
and status.

Before a voyage is undertaken
an options screen is displayed
allowing the player to begin a new
career, load in a saved character
or command one of six famous
expeditions. All actions are con-
trolled from a series of highlighted
option/menu panels.

A new career requires the con-
struction of a character - with the
personality built from the following

factors: name, nationality, level of
play (apprentice, journeyman,
adventurer or swashbuckler). A
special skill, such as fencing, gun-
nery or navigation is also chosen.

Your career starts with a duel
with the Captain of your current
vessel. Winning puts you in charge
of the ship whereas defeat puts
you afloat in a tiny boat with a
handful of fellow mutineers. The
action is set in the Caribbean, from
Vera Cruz in the West, to Barbados
in the East, and from Bermuda in
the North, to Panama in the South.
A map is included in the packaging
and features all 57 ports that may
be visited.

Your vessel is controlled via the
joystick and is directed anywhere

► Obviously Captain Cameron’s luck has started to run out . . .

▼ Your vessel runs into a barque of unknown origin - should you
investigate or sail away?

► The small slice of the West Indies lies waiting for you to explore

within the multi-directionally scrol-
ling map. Winds and distances
have to be considered when a
destination is chosen - otherwise
food or water supplies may expire.

t This is one of the
first games

where I’ve really
wished my
character would
die. If you get off to a bad start,
you can stay in a rut and keep
sailing around for hours, get-
ting caught and being rescued
without getting anywhere. It’s
a shame that there isn’t more
of an emphasis on developing
a character. Gaining property
is fine, but morale and physical
abilities remain unaffected
throughout - even if impris-
oned or victorious. It would
have been great if you could
build up a character along
those parameters and the ’life’
’lived’ until either retirement or
death - like a pilot in Gunship.
Pirates! has plenty of historic
content, and hours and hours
of play if you’re willing to
persevere - but whether or not
it’s worth £20 is a matter betw-
een you and your wallet.

Ports are either friendly, neutral
or enemy-held. When your ship
nears a port, a menu sheet
appears with a series of options
which allows you to sneak into
port, sail in or even attack it. Enter-
ing a port gives you the chance to
visit the Governor or a tavern,
trade with a merchant or divide up
the plunder.

The Governor of the settlement
tells of the current situation betw-
een nations and may also confer
upon you the honours that your
efforts have earned, such as a let-
ter of marque for your ship, or even
a promotion and a gift of land. A
friendly merchant trades with you,
allowing plundered goods and
unwanted vessels to be sold off.

At sea you are alerted if a ship is
sighted, and are then given the
option to investigate. If you
choose to attack, the two ships are
shown on screen from an over-
head viewpoint. The main objec-
tive is to come alongside the
enemy ship and give a broadside
of cannon fire. Repeated blasting
reduces the number of men and
cannon onboard - of course you
also run the risk of having your own
ship destroyed.

Though Pirates! is
initially impres-
sive, I found that
after a while I was
just constantly
epeating myself. Sailing into
port, trading, talking, leaving
port . . . only the odd attack
broke up the action. It’s annoy-
ing to keep being rescued by
your ‘mates’, as it means
there’s no real end to the game
you can just go on and on.
There’s plenty of accurate his-
tory, but the problem is that
the gameplay is only mildly
challenging, and eventually
becomes repetitive. When you
consider what else you can
buy for £20, Pirates! seems to
be very much overpriced.

Microprose have
released a very
commendable
attempt at an
interactive prog-
ram, but unfortunately it
doesn’t play half as well as
expected, and for all the com-
plexity and depth it actually
presents very little challenge.
It’s impossible to die - you can
end up in a dungeon, or as a
castaway on an island, but
eventually you are released to
continue your career. This is
annoying, because there’s no
risk involved and therefore no
challenge as you can never
lose. For all the available
choices there are only 1 2 or so
that actually physically affect
the gameplay. I found this to
be too restrictive and limiting,
especially when in combat or
when owning more than one
ship. For all my niggling, I did
have several hours of enjoy-
able play from Pirates!, but
then I didn’t have to pay £20 for
the privilege.

Touching the enemy ship allows
your crew to board her and indulge
in hand-to-hand combat. The
enemy Captain approaches you
for a duel of swords before the ship
either falls into your hands, or you
are captured and imprisoned.

NOT!

T A' the 'Coo cj\

F going to

pres i
Pirat

g ihe occcoho \

rersfon of

eo was not yet

released.

Then

efore ; the ratin'

go at the

jof.tr

of the page

relate to

the 1

dish version only. WeT

brine

i you a separate

set of rat-

fngo

as soon as we

receive a

copy

of the game on

cassette, :

DISK ONLY RATINGS

PRESENTATION 84%

Superb packaging, and easy to
use (if occasionally flawed) menu

syst

pictures which lose

the atmosphere. The
t sequence is also poorly

■

sail

than a few naval style
jingles and an ineffective wind
noise.

OOKABI!

rsc

and you’re

61%

missions and hidden
quests, but the gameplay lacks
subs

LL 68%

nting release
the imagi-

Defender of the C

REALM

Firebird, £1 .99 cass, keyboard only

W ith the sudden demise of
the Planetary Orbiting
Co-ordinator, our Solar
system has become unstable and
its component planets are drifting
away from the Sun.

To remedy this dangerous situa-
tion, a remote droid, codenamed
XR3, has been placed under your
control. Using this machine, you
may enter the Co-ordinator’s inner
sanctum, seek out the missing
planets and replace them in their
correct positions.

The interior of the Co-ordinator
is displayed as a full screen scrol-
ling maze, with XR3 situated at the
centre. Bonus Crowns are littered
throughout the maze and have to
be picked up, a task requiring the
negotiation of puzzles and traps.
Locked doors block the path of
progression throughout the maze.
These can only be opened by
standing the XR3 next to blue
arrow markers - but first you have

Games don’t
come any more
unexciting than
this. Travelling
around a very
large, empty maze, collecting
things and opening doors is
particularly monotonous,
especially when there’s no
urgency to the task and
nothing to liven things up.
Playing became a chore after
a couple of sessions, and I was
more than glad to turn it off.
The graphics and sound are
just as forgettable as the
gameplay. If they could pro-
duce Realm in pill form, insom-
nia would be a thing of the
past . .

• • •

to discover what marker opens
which door.

Deeper into the maze puzzle-
solving require the use of objects
which lie around. Wire, batteries
and oil are all necessary for the
successful completion of the mis-
sion.

If a situation is entered whereby
XR3 becomes trapped, you have

the option of aborting the mission,
which effectively gives you a sec-
ond attempt at the maze without
restarting completely. XR3 is
transported back to the beginning
of the maze, with all of the objects
collected so far remaining in his
possession.

Using the abort function more
than twice results in the destruc-
tion of your droid, and the mission
is terminated. XR3 also meets an
untimely end on contact with the
skull and crossbones, which make
up part of the maze wall.

$.3

Ignore the sci-fi
type scenario,
Realm is quite
simply a maze
game with puz-
zles. If you enjoy trekking back
and forth over the same
screens time and time again,
trying to find the correct key
for the correct door then all is
well and good. Personally, I
find this sort of thing tiresome
and ultimately boring. Realm is
very, very ordinary and offers
nothing that would convince
me to add it to my shopping
list - least of all playability.

PRESENTATION 57%

Appalling title screen and no
options.

GRAPHICS 48%

Colourful, but nothing to write
home about.

SOUND 17%

A few awkward beeps and
bloops.

HOOKABILITY 35%

Lacks action and immediate
reward.

LASTABILITY 31%

The initial feeling of desperation
never really wears off.

OVERALL 34%

Maze gaming made tedious.

► Collecting the crowns rewards your remote droid with a hefty bonus

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Nm I

Hewson, £8.95 cass, £12.95

A s an explorer, you’re used
to living a life of danger -
but you’ve never experi-
enced anything like this. At first all
seems quiet, but suddenly all hell
breaks loose. Strange aliens begin
to attack, and guns and gun
emplacements emerge from
underground and start firing. Now
you have to reach your ship and
escape - a task which requires
travelling through 125 flick
screens.

The hero is armed with a
hundred-round laser rifle which is
used to despatch the many flying
aliens, and ten grenades which are
thrown at the machinery and rocks
which block the way. Extra ammo
is picked up along the way, with

Hewson have
exhumed the old
flick screen
Green Beret type
format and given
it an airing with this insipid and
tedious exploration/shoot ’em
up game. I can’t see anyone
managing to get through all
125 screens, not without
months of practice, and there
just isn’t enough in it to
deserve that sort of persever-
ence. The action or graphics
hardly vary from level to level
and the urge to see what’s
beyond the next screen is min-
imal. The graphics and sound
effects are great - but if it’s
action, playability and variety
you want, try Hewson’s other
release this month.

the supply also replenished when
one of your nine lives are lost.

The action is viewed side-on,
and the hero is guided from left to
right across each screen - there is
no turning back. Some screens are
bare, apart from swarms of flying
aliens. Others are crowded with
machinery or deadly guns which
take aim as soon as the hero
comes near. Mines and hydraulic
plungers also appear from below
the planet’s surface and have to
be jumped.

Occasionally a dressing unit is
encountered. This is entered to
add an exoskeleton and double

Although this |
offers nothing
new, Exolon is
quite enjoyable
and offers a fair
amount of challenge for those
willing to persevere. Getting to
the spaceship should take a lot
of practice - it gets really
tough on later levels, with
plenty of hazards and swarms
of aliens keep at bay. The
backdrops and main sprites
are excellent, and the sound
effects match the action per-
fectly. Exolon might not be
state-of-the-art, but at least it
looks good and offers a chal-
lenge.

Resplendent in his stunning exo-skeleton, the humanoid battles
against a horde of deadly flying aliens

Amid this stunning array of hardware lie the two teleport pads
vital to our armoured hero’s mission

laser rifle to your armament. When
25 screens are traversed, a bonus
is awarded and the mission con-
tinues until all nine lives are lost, or
the safety of the ship is reached.

The style of

graphics in Exo-
lon is very

reminiscent of
the other Hewson
game this month, Zynaps.
They’re quite pleasant, and
have a strange storybook
quality about them (the anima-
tion on the main character is
uncannily like something out
of a Czechoslavakian car-
toon!). The game plays well,
but again follows Zynaps in
that it can be frustratingly
difficult at times. This isn’t
necessarily a bad thing, but it
can be offputting at first, the
collision detection also seems
to be on the tight side, and this
combined with the generous
amount of aliens wobbling
about means that some
screens are definitely not for
the faint of heart. Ardent
arcade adventurers may well
find a rather decent challenge
in Exolon.

PRESENTATION 83%

A professional high-score table
and options screen.

GRAPHICS 82%

Very pretty backdrops and sup-
erbly animated main character.

SOUND 61%

Great sound effects, but the title
tune is naff.

HOOKABILITY 68%

Straightforward, mildly addictive
blasting action.

LASTABILITY 51%

Negotiating the 125 screens is a
tough job, but the little reward
offered means that the action
eventually palls.

OVERALL 64%

A competent shoot ’em up which
lacks variety.

28 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

Commodore 64 Disk £14.95

Commodore 64 Cass £9.95

Spectrum 48 Cass £8.95

Spectrum 128 Cass £9.95

Commodore Plus/4 (64k). . .£9.95

IBM PC £19.95

Atari ST £19.95

(IBM and Atari for Christmas)

as advanced

THBVLTIMATE
HEAD TO HEAD
CONFLICT

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Gen. MacArthur

THE MAN WHO LOST/ WON

Adm .Yamamoto

NOW YOU CAN CHANGE THE COURSE OF HISTORY

The battle for Guadalcanal has been called the most decisive single
action of the war in the Pacific.

More significant even, than Pearl Harbor.

The battle lasted six months. It took the combat skills, the courage and
eventually the lives of thousands of dedicated fighting men, both
American and Japanese, to bring it to a conclusion.

The battle for Guadalcanal is unquestionably the finest war strategy
game to date

It is perhaps the first game to give you a true indication of the awesome
responsibility of the battle commander.

Now you can re-fight the battle for Guadalcanal.

You can re-think the tactics. You can re-deploy the resources.

You can re-live the battle.

In effect, you can change the course of history.

V^° V §c^° C ao ^
se e f a fSsP e f e %

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■■■

Driven from your home galaxy your only to ettaing your exile and reclaiming your

honour lies in defeating the i nvadinq Torc&fl np torment your people. Armed with the most
sophisticated weapons systems, guarded of Tprotective forcefield, you set out on a mission
to conquer the enemy starbase, a crusade against the most startling of death defying odds.
The ultimate in firepower is at your fingertips, the pinnacle of spacecraft control and command
is withrn your grasp. The strategy and excrtement only ever associated with arcade settings
is recreated for your very own personal mission. A coin- op classic of immense proportions.

U.S. Gold Ltd., Units 2/3 llolford Way, Holford. Birmingham B6 7AX Tel:

For a while back there, it began to look as though summer had
arrived, but before the runner beans touched home base,
whomp! and the autumn set in. Actually November arrived
before August had started . . . but then, I’ve always argued we
should move Ludlow to a nice quiet island in the Bahamas.
However, since I’m still stuck here in the cold, grey rain of sum-

mer, it’s only your letters that bring a glow to my life (how’s that
for sycophancy - LMLWD . . . look it up).

Onto the ZZAP! Rrap then, and we kick off with Letter of the
Month, which goes, together with the £30 worth of software, to
a person who exhibits great common sense . . .

ZZAP! ISN’T PERFECT. BUT .

Dear Lloyd ole fella me lad,

I have a question. Why do people buy ZZAP!? If you were to take
your letters pages seriously, you would think that people’s main
reason for buying it is to enable them to moan about:

1 . The lack of reviews

2. The length of reviews

3. Lack of colour shots in reviews

4. Too many shots in reviews

5. Etc etc.

Does this mean that the great British public likes nothing betterthan
a good moan?

I find some comments on your letters pages right gems. As one
of your more aged readers (excuse me while I turn off my hearing
aid), I thought I should give a little advice to your readers.

I start by asking another question - do you, the reader, think
ZZAP! perfect in every detail?

I think most mortal folk (from Margate to Ayrshire) would agree
that if they were the brain behind ZZAP! (I assume there are some
somewhere in the Newsfield offices), they would do something dif-
ferent to the present regime. This is only to be expected, we would
all want something slightly different to one another. It’s therefore
clear that no magazine, be it ZZAP!, in the computer field or any
other in other fields, can ever hope to please all of the people all of
the time. You can only listen to comment and criticism and change
with the times like any other magazine. If you do hot listen to what
your customers say about you, then you are certain to lose readers
and fold up.

The proof that you listen and adapt your magazine is in your will-
ingness to publish letters of all types and seek views in question-
naires. Anyone who has bought your mag for any length of time will
know you have dropped some features, tried new ones, brought
back old ones etc. You obviously listen and take heed of comment.

What the average punter should do before buying any article is
decide what they expect to get out of it and then look to see what
is available within their price range.

Those of us who buy ZZAP! like games and don’t want pages of
listings, in-depth analysis of the sex life of a SID chip, or detailed
coverage of computers other than the CBM 64. Having bought
ZZAP! we can either be guided by, or ignore your reviewers’ com-
ments. We learn by ours and their mistakes.

From a personal point of view, I don’t think ZZAP! is perfect. I
don’t read T amara/T erminal and pay little attention to the adverts. I
do not, however, object to them being in the mag if a high proportion
of other readers want them there. I will buy ZZAP! as long as there
are lots of pages of reviews (which does of course depend on the
amount of games released that month).

Okay, I forgot something - if I start finding your reviewers’ tastes
are so weird that I can’t use them as a guideline, I’ll stop subscribing.
So far I’ve roughly been in agreement with them. The only game I
really disagreed on was Zoids- it’s awful. Having said that, I know
others thought it great - that’s life!

Now for one more go at The Sentinel . . .

Jim Ruby, Kent

It ’s real hard being perfect, in fact I Ve heard it said that it ’s impossi-
ble to be perfectly good, whereas being perfectly bad is child’s play.
It’s out of the struggle to be perfect that exciting things emerge, and
who knows, one might even become halfway good in the process.
For further information on the subject, I’m shortly publishing a slim
volume entitledUoyd Mangram and Perfectionism through Zen and
the Art of the I Ching - it’ll be a great seller . . .

But to keep you company in the meantime, your Letter of the
Month prize will be sent as soon as you let the appropriate
authorities know what software you would like.

►

The Best Joysticks Under The Sun

MicroProse Ltd. 2 Market Place, Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8DA Tel: (0666) 54326 Telex: 43422 MPS/UKG

ZZAP! 64 September 1 987 33

• T

POSTING THE GAME

Dear Lloyd,

I’ve noticed that recently more software houses are bringing out
useless software that relies more on advertising than the game
itself. Perhaps they think that if they put posters of games in
magazines and grab people’s attention, the public will buy the
games purely because the poster looks good.

On another note, what the hell do you think you’re doing. Werner
- 10 percent Overall. Ha! You should get some new reviewers!!
Okay, so the graphics are ‘cute’, but 10 percent is ridiculous. It
should be about 4 percent. It is a pointless, useless and overpriced
game. I wouldn ’t buy it for 20p let alone £9.95. Come on Ariolasoft,
get your act together.

Also, what happened to the Sizzlers and Gold Medals. Since the
Christmas Edition there have been only 1 1 Sizzlers and one Gold
Medal. Why haven’t games such as Avenger ( 86 percent),
Ranarama (87), Lightforce (87), Firetrack (88), Nosferatu The Vam-
pyre (88), Flash Gordon (89), Super Huey II (89) and others at 85 per-
cent, got Sizzlers. Surely this is wrong? If a game has to get 90 per-
cent or over to become a Sizzler then how much does a game have
to get in order to achieve Gold Medal status!?

On to piracy. All those people who write in saying something like
‘ I’m a pirate and I’m proud of it’ , are total jerks. A lot of these ‘ proud ’
criminals sign their letters A N Onymous, or something like that. If
they’re so proud, why don’t they sign their names?

A note to all the pirates out there - how do you expect software
houses to turn out good software if they don’t make any money from
it because a few hundred people buy it but a few thousand copy it?

If you want good software, stop pirating it, and then maybe software
houses will be bothered to spend more time and effort in making
decent games.

I think that the sample tape in the June issue is a brilliant idea and
you should do it again sometime. 3D Maps are also a good idea but
can’t you put them on top of advertisements to save us having to
cut up the important parts of our beloved ZZAP!? However, having
said that, couldn’t it be photocopied? Two different ways of obtain-
ing it easily. Other than that, your mag is excellent. Have you ever
thought about collecting all the POKEs, tips, hints, cheats, maps
ever, and forming one big tips magazine. You could call it ‘The Best
of ZZAP! 64 Tips’. Think about it, eh?

J D Preou, Essex

No, come on now, this business has always produced poor games
on top of excellent advertising, but some damned good ones too! I
don’t see any real increase in this egregious behaviour, although the
idea of magazines printing special (even ginormously ordinary
page-sized) posters in the centre, complete with their logo, when in
fact they’re just a software house’s artwork fora game - another
sort of ad - is a bit tacky; and that does seem to be on the increase.

The trouble with giving 85-89 percent games Sizzler status when
there are none over 90 percent is that we’ll get loads of letters then
saying such-and-such got 86 percent last month and was the only
Sizzler, when this month with four Sizzlers, such-and-such II wasn ’t
a Sizzler and it got 89 percent Can ’t win that one.

The 3-D map did seem popular, but when the editorial content like
that is planned, it isn’t always known where the ads are going, so
photocopying would seem the best option. A Tips book? Why not?
Perhaps Julian will look into the matter . . .

BETTER BY FAR

Dear Lloyd,

Like most readers I think ZZAP! is
brill. My friend who has a Spec-
trum said that Spectrum mags sell
better than ZZAP! I had a very long
talk with him saying that ZZAP! is
just the best, but he still thinks the
same. So can you tell me if ZZAP!
is the best selling mag in the UK.

S M Stratford, Scotland

I presume you mean, is ZZAP! the
best selling computer mag in Bri-

tain? Well no, it’s not. It is the best
selling magazine devoted to the
CBM64 by quite a stretch, but
there are a couple of Spectrum
magazines that sell more copies
every month, and one of them, our
sister title CRASH actually, is the
bestselling computer magazine in
Britain. ZZAPI’s sales are rising
every month however - so who
knows ? . . . maybe soon . . .

UNENDUROBLE

Dear Lloyd,

I was reading through Issue 27 and
was amazed at the stupidity of the
Enduro Racer review.

Enduro Racer was a classic in
the arcades. The review given was
to put it bluntly, crap. I quote from
one reviewer ‘Has your computer
got 1 6-bit multi-tasking slave pro-
cessors, a 32-bit internal proces-
sjgjr and several thousand col-
ours?’

Course it bloody hasn’t it’s only
a CBM 64 not an entire arcade.
How can you possibly compare
the arcade machine to a com-
puter? It’s like comparing a hand-
held Space Invader game to an
Atari ST.

It’s not the first time ZZAP! has
done this, cast your minds back to
the reviews of Commando, Papei§
boy and Space Harrier - all very
good games in their own right and
they sold well.

If ZZAP! keeps on reviewing
games like it is presently, there’ll
be no point reviewing computer
games at all.

Now Andrew Braybrook’s Diary.
I was appalled to see in the final
column of Mental Procreation that
just as the 64 versus Spectrum
argument ends, Braybrook
decides on an Amiga versus ST
one. That was bad enough, but to
alfo include factual inaccuracies
was downright ridiculous. I quote
‘The only smooth scrolling possi-
ble will be limited in colour, vertical
only on a small area or very slow.
Gold Runner is a fast, smooth, col-
ourful, large-area, vertical scroll.

m*'

Metrocross is a fast, smooth, col-
ourful, large and horizontal scroll.

Julian Rignall has often con-
demned the computer argument
(eg defending himself by saying
the Spectrum 128 is a good
machine in CRASH), and while he,
and people like him, are about we
can all look forward to the end of
pointless *my computer is better
than yours’ arguments.

Andrew Johnson, Northampton

I think on the whole I agree with
you Andrew. There is no point in
comparing a series of dedicated
chips with a home computer.
However, I think there’s some val-
idity in suggesting that a conver-
sion is bound to fail because its
original form is so complex that it’s
pointless converting it. Neverthe-
less, the comment you quote does
seem to verge on the sarcastic
rather than the constructive.
Interestingly enough, on the Spec-
trum, where programmers have to
work so much harder to get round
the graphics, screen handling and
sound and therefore tend naturally
to concentrate much more on
game design and gameplay,
Enduro Racer was a Smash.

On the Atari ST versus Amiga
front, I’m not expert enough (yet!)
to pass judgement. The concen-
sus of opinion between those I
have spoken to, and who ought to
know, is that the Amiga is a far
superior machine - but then, it’s a
damned sight more expensive too.

STARTED!

Dear Lloyd,

A few friends and I are writing a game which we hope to sell through
a software house. We would like to call ourselves something, but
some of the names we’ve dreamed up may already exist. I have
enclosed a list of the names we’ve thought of. Could you please find
out if any of them exist. We don’t want to break copyright laws by
using an existing name.

And Could you tell us how we go about getting the game mar-
keted when (and if?) it’s finished. I was going to ask John Twiddy as
he lives down the street from me, but I decided that I’d better not
disturb him.

Here’s the list: Unique, Softech or Softek, Logical or Logikal, Logic
or Logik, Logica or Logika, Hexoft, Hexcellent, Adroit (means skilful
or ingenious), Microsoft, Metrosoft, Ksoft (pronounced Kaysoft),
Morsoft, Supersoft or Supasoft.

A Morgan, Tyne and Wear

If you ’re a firm -a partnership and not a Limited Liability Company
- then (with some limitations on which you would require proper
advice from an accountant or a solicitor) there’s very little problem
with using any name you like. But you would want to avoid confu-
sion, so I should avoid Softek or Microsoft, both of which certainly
do exist.

As for marketing your finished game, there’s nothing more you
can do than hawking it round those software houses you would best
like to see selling it. You could do this by posting copies to them,
but it would be better, and safer, to make an appointment and then
go personally to demonstrate the game. But you must bear in mind
that the major software houses have loads of hopefuls coming in
with new games so their attitude is bound to be one of scepticism
- you must overcome that through your enthusiasm, determination
and the quality of your ideas and game.

34 ZZAP! 64 September 1987

| Dear Lloyd,

I really don’t know what people expect from the computer industry,
they’re always complaining about costs. Sure, money is a worry to]
all of us, especially youngsters without a job, but take this recent
spate of letters debating the prices of software.

I’ll admit that I’m not an expert on the subject, but common sense
tells me that software as innovative, complex and professional as
(recently) Wizball, Paradroid, World Games, Leaderboard, Uridium]
etc cannot be produced cheaply. Not only should the costs of prog*
ramming be considered, but also advertising and distribution as
well, how many big glossy adverts announcing a new mega Master-
tronic game have you seen?

True, ten quid is expensive, but not if consumers want to buy
good high-standard software. However, ZZAP! readers will
undoubtedly retaliate with ‘Well Mastertronic and Firebird can pro-
duce excellent games’, but can they? I don’t think so; Thrust was
an excellent game ... for two quid, stick a ten quid price tag on it
and it would have been a different story. Yes, it had superb gamep-
lay and good music, but it only had six stages, very basic graphics,
simple packaging and hardly any advertising. The announcement
in the July editorial about the price of software dropping to six quid
before Christmas is a welcome boost, but I guarantee a lot of people
will complain even about this price.

My second point is again about costs, and is a reply to Mr Peder-
sen’s letter in the July edition. There he was complaining about the
lack of text in ZZAP! reviews, too many screen shots, the size of the
screenshots and that he wanted bigger reviews, but the mag only
cost a pound and is not supposed to be Encyclopedia Britannica!
In the July issue for a pound we saw, 114 pages of information
Dntaining no less than 35 full colour reviews! Ammmmazing! Each
I review was well balanced with text (which included the lengthy,
informative, interesting and witty personal comments, Mr Peder-
sen!) and screen shots. The reviews were appropriately sized, con-

i iu an uiuse ai JULt\r\ i uweis wnu piuuu

I quality piece of literature for such a small price.

So Mr Pedersen, think before you start complaining and aemanc
ing more this and more that, producing high quality goods costs
money - be realistic!

Lee Walsh, Essex

I / must say it’s nice to hear from someone being sensible when it
comes to the subject of value for money, someone who recognises
that there are always commercial factors in any undertaking, finan-
} cial restraints which are only broken at the peril of the producer in
question. And that isn’t a defence for any software company putting
out poor games at high prices, because their peril is falling sales as
people catch on. For what it’s worth, I rather doubt that the ‘ midi ’
price range will really have any effect, or that many companies will
! really doit. Quite frankly, I don’t see how they can afford to. And true
| enough, the budget houses do not advertise for the simple reason
1 that their margins don’t allow for promotional costs.

You might also consider this: ZZAP! and all other computer
I magazines are utterly dependent on their advertising revenue -
1 unless you’re all (every one of you) prepared to fork out at least £2.25
a month instead. If the entire industry started selling all its product
| at half price, the companies would have to cut their promotional
budgets to shreds and as a result ZZAP!, C&VG and even CU would
probably cease to exist. And in the end it wouldn ’t do the punter any
good , because without advertising (as has been proven again and
again) sales would fall (and there wouldn ’t be the magazines to help
promote the games any more), so would profits, so would program-
I mers ’ salaries, and in the end so would computer games. Amen

Dear ZZAP!

At the moment I and a few other
friends are running a BBS System
and it’s doing well except for the
Commodore section. Can you
help, please, by placing this letter
in your magazine?

Consider it done!

K Broomfield
Acess BBS
0905 5253630
V.21 .V22.V.23

ZZAP! 64 September 1 987 35

^ SV)

V»**f ^As aS
das^d^ m

f>2+- +***

Available soon on Spectrum,
Commodore and Amstrad cassettes
all at £9.95.

Commodore and Amstrad discs —
both £14.95.

:WM

;

DearLloyd, the number of otters?

ZZAP! is brilliant in most ways but Mick Wall, Sheffield

I do have one complaint. When I

subscribed in February I was look- There was a time when ZZAP’ had

- ing forward to many subscription some wonderful subs offers —in
offers, but since that time there fact we did so many we exhausted

has been one. When I received the software industry’s supply of

July’s edition I turned to the con- decent offers! More recently there
tents pages and saw a subscrip- have been some administrative
tion offer. I turned straight to page changes (which to be honest,

1 06 and .found an Eagles review, I ! always upset the apple cart for a
flipped over the page and found bit), and now we’re hoping to see
what seemed to be a great sub- a load more subs offers appearing.

scription offer - until I saw nothing The Spectravideo Joyballs are one
for which i could send off. Before I such.
subscribed there were quite a ;few LM

CNETLESS

Dear Lloyd,

Please, please, please, please,
please, could you print the
address of somewhere I can get a
Compunet modem from. I know all
the Cnet lingo but I can’t seem to
find a damn modem anywhere.
Can you help?

Brett Patterson, Sheffield

Help is at hand Brett , contrary to
what we told Mike Nield in the
August Issue, Compunet are still
supplying free modems with each
one year’s subscription to Com-
punet. Give them a ring on 01 997
2591.

PUTTING THE CART
BEFORE THE FORCE

Dear Lloyd,

It’s quite obvious that software
companies are phasing cassette-
based games out. The Wiz is
forever moaning about the lack of
good tape-based adventure
games, and who can blame him,
when he can play disk-based
Infocom games to his heart’s con-
tent? The Shadows ofMordor and
He-Man travesties only go to
prove that it’s almost impossible
to get a good adventure/interac-
tive fiction game out of a cassette
without using long-winded, boring
and in most cases, pointless multi-
loads.

Other types of game have also
suffered because of the limitations
of the cassette; games like Gun-
ship, Championship Wrestling and
World Class Leaderboard are
almost unrecognisable compared
to their disk-based counterparts.

Isn’t it about time software com-
panies release games on car-
tridge? Apart from cutting down
piracy quite considerably, there
would be virtually no loading prob-
lems, greater loading speed,
increased capabilities and more
satisfied gamers.

Casual gamers like myself (hon-
est I could give up whenever I
wanted), are never going to get. a
disk-drive (although I’ve tried con-
ning my dad into one) so car-
tridges are our only hope. Com-
panies like US Gold, Infocom and
Magnetic Scrolls should seriously
consider cartridges, because US

Gold hardly ever release a cas-
sette game half as good as its disk
counterpart, and Infocom and
Magnetic Scrolls are missing out
on a great chunk of the British
games market by only releasing
disks.

I hope some software com-
panies read this letter, Lloyd, and
take some action in clearing up the
British software mess caused by
cassettes.

James Campbell, Humberside

I’m really no expert on this, but
from what I ’ve understood, the real
problem with cartridges is their
manufacturing cost, which pro-
hibits software houses, even the
bigger groups, from using them
freely for sales. In the case of Mat-
tel or Sega, you ’re looking at giant
corporations with years of invest-
ment in cartridges behind them.
These are then sold in densely
populated market areas, and,
most importantly, the people who
control the process of program-
ming the cartridges, even for third-
party software.

Some years ago, Sinclair tried
cartridge loading for the Spec-
trum, and it was no great success.

I suspect that many people today
would look upon them with suspi-
cion in the light of Sinclair’s failure.
However, I’d be delighted to hear
from some voices within the indus-
try on this subject.

DIAMOND GAMES

NEWRILEASES

Diamond Games are pleased to announce the release of
the following exciting games:—

EXTENSOR AMIGA R.R.P. £19.95

This game of the future is a 3-dimensional
realtime simulation in the 24th Century. You
are invited to compete in the new Olympic
Games in the Deserts of Mars. The yearly
competition of the most powerful Galactic
powers start again with a new, more deadly
and dangerous competition called extensor.

PINBALL WIZARD AMIGA R.R.P. £19.95

No need to go to your local arcade anymore
when you can play this extraordinary realistic
pinball game on your Amiga.
Become a Pinball Wizard at home!

CLASSICS AMIGA R.R.P. £14.95

5 original, unpublished games for the Amiga
superb value for money; games to suit

everyone's taste.

KAOS CBM 64, CASSETTE & DISK

R.R.P. £7.95 & £9.95

Madcap game featuring our hero. All action
Arcade which will leave you in no doubt as to
why this game is called Kaos. Available now.
Hollywood Poker CBM64 Cassette 8c Disk R.R.P.
£7.95 8c £9. Currently in your local retailer, this
famous game is now available for your 64!

Need we say more!

Diamond Games are distributed by Robtek
Ltd., Unit 4, Isleworth Business Complex, St.
John’s Road, Isleworth, Middlesex TW1

ZZAP! 64 September 1987 37

A MULTI-LOAD OF POINTS

Dear Lloyd,

The Commodore Show

I was disappointed to see ZZAP! didn’t attend as I ’ve spent a lot of
time talking to Gary and Richard in the past. What with the lack of
new software, I talked to the two other magazines there. Commo-
dore User’s Eugene Lacey was nice and mentioned that they hoped
to stop the slagging between ZZAP! and CU. I also had a good long
chat with Mark Patterson who was very friendly and interesting to
talk to. But you may be interested to hear that C&VG had some
interesting things to say about ZZAP! First they said that ZZAP!
should have been there supporting the Commodore industry (com-
ing from them that’s hypocritical as it’s their first Commodore Show)
then ZZAPI’s artwork, which they claimed was going downhill, and
suggested a change of artist.

Want to hear more? They mentioned reviewing style, layout and
expressed a general dislike of the mag and team in general. It’s
interesting to note that these statements were said to me and not in
print to you. However, try answering this one; why does C&VG use
comic strip characters to answer their letters. I leave it to you to do
what you will.

Reviews

Your reviews have improved with more colour and better screen
shots, but I feel that the Sizzler rating has been over-used, and in
some cases, under-used. First Wizball’, come on, a Sizzler? Just
look at your review - lowest mark 81 percent, Overall 96 percent;
reviewers comments, and I quote, 4 W/zba//isthefinest release this
year . . . ’ Julian. 4 Wizball is simply brilliant . . . ’ Gary (when does
he like a game, every decade!). ‘Miss this and you’re missing the
best program this year . . . ’ Steve. By all this evidence a year ago
this would have been a Gold Medal. But as it isn’t I can only assume,
as this is the best program of the year, that the Gold Medal doesn’t
exist any more.

Second, Delta ; wow, Gary liked that didn’t he? He says that learn-
ing opposition patterns and flying in a straight line is boring, and
then next issue says that Nemesis 4 has a lot to offer in the playability
stakes.’ Hey! Wait a minute! I’ve played that . . . Yes! it scrolls in a
straight line and you learn predictable alien patterns - funny, I
thought Gary didn’t like that. Steve says that Delta has predictable
gameplay and then says that Nemesis is fast and furious and should
prove enough of a challenge even to hardened A/emes/sfans. Fact:
a 4 hardened ’ Nemesisian of mine completed the 64 version on his
third go, and yet was still playing Delta weeks later. Rating Nemesis
as you have is unfair to Delta, but rating Delta as you have is really
stupid. Do you really still think Sanxion is better? According to your
review it is, I can appreciate that as time progresses software should
theoretically improve and ratings change accordingly but, how can

you rate two similar games so differently?

Conversion Tie-Ins.

I’m getting tired of hearing thaHhere are too many conversions. If
you want a conversion buy it, if not, don ’t. But don ’t try to tell me that
everyone is fed up with conversions, because when they appear
people buy them and that’s a fact. If everyone were so worried that
conversions are ruining all the chances for original software then no-
one would buy them, would they? But they do, so the problem can’t
be that bad.

Look at the benefits of arcade conversion. What with under-eigh-
teen bans on some arcades, and the fact that for a tenner unlimited
plays can be had at home, then surely conversions can do some
good.

Piracy

Let’s finish this here and now - pirates are prats. Why? Because
they’re breaking the law. ‘Software is too expensive’ - ever heard
of budget games? Saving up? - 4 but why should I when I can get it
for nothing?’ - because buying originals isn’t against the law, and
can help produce better software from the money you spend.
Besides when we all own Amigas, will all software be pirated
because Amiga software is twice the price of 64 stuff?

Finally some other points:

Bring back the challenge with Steve Jarratt as champion. Have a
regular arcade section. Have more reviews and previews. Andrew
Braybrook is really nice I met him at Chelmsford Boots. Please read
my letter and keep up the good work because you’re still the best
64 mag.

Sean York, Chelmsford

It ’s true ZZAP! didn ’t turn up at the last Commodore Show -at least ,
not with a stand , Julian, Steve, Ciaran and Gary were there as vis-
itors - it was a decision taken with all due consideration, because it
always seems to fall at an awkward time for the magazine’s print
schedule. As for C&VG, I thought they didn’t like any other mag
except their own, not even their sister Commodore User . . .

On the reviews, it was Steve who said you would be missing the
best program of the year in Wizball, not the team as a whole, and
the game got 96 percent- usually a Gold Medal has been a warded
at 97%, so there is some logic there! But with Delta you have my
entire sympathy (perhaps that’s why they won’t let me review many
games?). I liked the game, but the team as a whole decided on the
rating, and that’s the beauty of ZZAPI’s democratic reviewing sys-
tem. As for the death of the Gold Medal, what about last month ’s
Head Over Heels, or indeed California Games in this very issue.

■ " . - if; ■

ss 32? |

fun of you, so I wanted to realty s short and most is wasted

Here’s what I think. Your mag d | WO uld also

on ads. You don’t have ^^S3^?eviews a bit
like to see you preview some ~j nrl nut mat jt should contain a
longer. In your June issuelfoun t missing. I

demonstration tape. Th ®^f h d walunbehevable!! ‘The Com-
asked the shopkeeper and the rep y was unoei^ ^ se)i the tape

pany that we get our magazi want to risk the

with it as it was not licensed to, _ what me guy sa id was a

censoring t sell banned stuff?

~!&SS£2S8S^^ .

LS • PENPALS • PE

Jonathan Paul Mole (aged 1 3) of 1 2 Streatham Road, Mitcham, Surrey,
CR4 2AA, wants a penpal. Your gender is irrelevant, as long as you own
aC64orC16.

Andrew Dodd of 37 Ryder Crescent, Hillside, Southport, Merseyside,
PR8 3AE would like a penpal. Once again there is no hint of sex discrimi-
nation, but C64 owners who use tape software are preferred.

Keith Leslie of 15 Aghamore Park, Strathfoyle, Londonderry, Northern
Ireland, BT47 1XF would like to write to 64 owners of any age from any
part of the world.

Miss H Passey, who hails from 70 Kimberley Road, Penylan, Cardiff, CF4
5DL, claims to be a wally and would like a penfriend. She promises faith-
fully to reply to all letters.

Michael Underhill of Mannings Farm, Ashill, Cullompton, Devon, EX15
3NL is 16 years old and wants a Commodore-owning penpal.

John Harris, 30 Cavalier Way, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH1 9 4SE
who’s 1 4 would like to write to someone from any part of the world. Com-
modore owners who share John’s interest in Moonlighting would be pre-
ferred.

PLAY BY MAIL

Dear Lloyd,

Concerning the subject of Play By
Mail games. I seriously think that
you should consider devoting one

page to this, explaining the basics

and reviewing some of the games
available in your magazine. I am
interested in PBM and buy CRASH
(I don’t own a Spectrum) just to
look at theirthree PBM pages. I’ve

sent off for a starter pack in the
game Kick About, a football PBM
which sounds very good.

Paul Garton, Derby

It appears to be immensely suc-
cessful in CRASH, and coming
soon in ZZAP! hopefully . . .

A CHALLENGE

ONE-TRACKED

Dear Lloyd,

I am writing to stop people like Ste-
ven Hunter (Issue 26) from saying
that Gary Penn was slagging off
games like Tomahawk when Ste-
ven thinks they’re brilliant. GP and
the other reviewers are giving their
own opinions, and GP gave
Tomahawk the correct ratings in
his own opinion.

At the end of Steven’s letter he
said that more letters in the Rrap
section were junk, but I think that
Steven’s letter was the most one-
tracked piece of junk I’ve ever
seen.

I guess that Steven will write to
you saying something against me,
but I don’t care in the slightest. No
hard feelings, Steven, but you’ve

got to admit what you wrote was a
bit stupid.

Keep up the good reviews
ZZAP! it isn’t your fault that Soft-
ware companies aren’t producing
the goods.

Can we have more previews
please.

Daniel Willetts, W Midlands

In his defence, Steven was point-
ing out that Gary might have dis-
qualified himself on the grounds
that he said he didn’t particularly
like flight sims, therefore any rat-
ings he gave would be based on
that bias and not necessarily on
the game’s own merits.

Dear Lloyd,

I would like to know what a lot of
the readers are on about when
they say that they should be
allowed to review the games, and
that all your reviewers are hope-
less. Because it seems to me that
we do get a chance to give credit
to a good game and vice-versa for
a bad game, by way of the Read-
ers’ Charts and Readers’ Awards.

I would also like to thank you for
the great demo tape in the June
Edition, it was well worth the extra
money, and I am really looking for-
ward to the next one which I hope
will be appearing soon.

Could you please tell me
whether the ZZAP! Challenge will

ever be reappearing as I, and I’m
sure many other readers, really
enjoyed that article.

Darren J Perry, Birmingham

The reviewers are all a bit hopeless
in most things (like keeping the
office tidy), but they’re pretty good
when it comes to games, and
ZZAPI’s record over the years for
spotting excellent and poor prod-
uct is second to none.

Another demo cassette will
come your way before too long,
although no date ’s set as yet. And
as for the return of the ZZAP! Chal-
lenge - watch out for details next
issue!

Never forget, Dear reader, that without your lovely, luminous
and entirely literary epistles, I’d be out of a job, and at my time
of life that would be cruel (who needs a professional school
leaver?). So, if you’ve anything to say in reply to my answers, to
printed letters, about the software business, games, com-
puters, needlework or the I Ching (hexagrams one through 46
inclusive), write to the usual address, LL0Y ^ MANGRAM,
ZZAP! RRAP, BO BOX 10, LUDLOW, SHROPSHIRE SY8 1DB.
But please don’t include stamped addressed envelopes for per-
sonal replies because I just don’t don’t have the time (or the

desk space)!

TELEPHONE

04574 66555
04574 67761

CLOSSOP

BRANCH

YOUR COMPUTER REPAIRED FAST? gp

S'm*cw ’!?r 1 FED UP OF WAITING WEEKS FOR YOUR COMPUTER

TO ARRIVE? ■■ r l "

DAYS A

-‘thenwait NO LONCER - send your computer to us for fast repairs!
We offer a full repair service on all these makes - commodore 128,
Commodore 16, commodore Plus 4, Vic 20.

We also have spare parts available by mail order.

WE DON'T JUST REPAIR YOUR COMMODORE 64 - we Check
loading, sound, memory, in fact fully overhaul your
computer for only £35.00 - which
packing, insurance, parts and labour. NO H,DD £NfXJ£AS.

All other models please call us for a quote on 04574 66555.

just pack your computer, including power supply, m suitable
packaging and send it to the address be| ow, enclosing your cheque
to the value of £35.00 - You can also pay by ACCESS

140 High Street West, Glossop, Derbyshire SK13 8HJ
Tel- 04574-66555/67761 Head Office & Access orders, queries,
Manchester 061-236 0376 while you wait repairs & spares centre only.

Commodore

replacement power transformer
£ 29.00 plus £1.50 p & p

URGENT NOTICE

Don't be misled by adverts showing 'between

prices.' A recent complaint against a
Manchester repair firm, Mancomp, was upheld
by the Advertising standards Authority on two
counts, "it had stated BBC repairs between £14
and £45 then charged the customer £85^ Their
guarantee policy was misleading as it did not
make clear that all repairs were not covered.

WE NOW HAVE FAX: (0) 4574 68946

ZZAP! 64 September 1 987 39

Itfe&s

1 P-0001.00

. I

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■ ■■ ■

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S-S:?;

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I XV-

-T

DUCK HUNT There’s a duck in the air! You’ve only
got three shots to bag this duck. Add if you miss,
even your dog laughs at you in this fast-action
Zapper Gun game.

GYROMITE You've got to keep R.O.B.’s gyroscope
spinning to help a mad scientist de-activate the
dynamite in his laboratory in order to play this
action-packed game!

GOLF Choose your clubs. Control your swings.
Select the angle of every shot. It’s Nintendo GOLF and
there’s not a video golf game on par with it anywhere!

For the first time in the UK direct from Japan comes Nintendo, the home
entertainment system with genuine arcade-quality graphics. Nintendo make
2 out of 3 of all the world’s coin-op arcade machines, so they know what
they’re doing. And already, in Japan 9V2 million homes have a Nintendo home
entertainment system.

Now you can enjoy the amazing 52 colour 3-D graphics of Nintendo.
(On most home computers, you’ve been lucky to get 16 colours until now!)
Nintendo’s superb graphics give the games a convincing true 3-D feel with
actual shadows which add depth to the characters.

Already there are 27 Ninterido Game Paks available in the UK and more
are being added to the software library all the time. But there’s even more to
Nintendo than the best games you’ve ever seen...

Nintendo Entertainment System

For the first time home entertainment enters a new dimension.

Because when you own a Nintendo entertainment system you also get a buddy
to play with, a Robotic Operating Buddy to be exact (or R.O.B. to his friends).

He’s your partner. Seat him next to you, send him signals from your tv screen
and together you can tackle the enemy.

The Zapper Gun

Never before has there been a video gun of this calibre. The astonishing
light sensitive Zapper Gun lets you shoot moving targets with pinpoint accuracy
from up to 16 feet! If you think you’re a sharp shooter the Zapper Gun will test
your skill to the full.

Nintendo or Super Nintendo, the choice is yours.

Which set do you want? NINTENDO’S superb high-quality action costs
£99.00* for control deck, mains transformer, two hand controls, and one free
Super Mario Bros Game Pak. DELUX NINTENDO costs £159.99* for the amazing
Zapper Gun, R.O.B., and two free games, Gyromite and Duck Hunt.

Nintendo is available from the stockists featured. If you have any questions or have
difficulty obtaining the product, write to HiTech Electronic Services Ltd.,

Unit 2B,200 Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD1 7JS. Or phone: 09232 418 .

Hamleys
Jenners

Toys ’R’ US
Grattans

Littlewoods Mail Order
Freemans Mail Order
Kay’s Mail Order

Empire Stores Mail Order
Gloucester Toy Shop
Adders Department Stores
Toy & Hobby
Argos Superstores
Telegames
Computer Magic

Arding & Hobbs
John Farnon
Willis Ludlow
Selfridges
Telebank

♦Recommended retail price

if! MIL _ril A ^ ^ IiLa

HocKTora endorses the
latest in transparent
Joysticks

the highly publicised hoo-ha over Jeffrey Archer’s recent
tal in court still in everyone’s mind, what better time is there
ase the official game of his first novel and best-selling blockbus-
ot a Penny More , Not a Penny Less .

WHM T’S

BRITAIN’S BRIGHTEST COM'

MONTHLY! ZZAP! 64 Sept 1 987

This cute and cuddly little Rockford arrived in our offices quite
recently, attached to his very own designer joystick. The accompany-
ing letter came from a certain S V Garrat of Manchester. Give us a
ring S V, the ZZAP! lads would like a word.

mi m iiiiiiiii ii hip 1 1 iiiiii ii iiiiiiiii m miiiiii ii iiiinii

FREE

SfAR

SCHOOL ORDERS
WELCOME

large

(100 disk capacity)
lockable disk storage
box worth £13.95 -

'OFFER

VA/v

OR - When you buy 2 5 disks for only£ 18 . 75 *

r* wj including postage and V AT !

JL IVlLJu (well almost)

Choose any one of the following hits (on disk)

Paying only the price in brackets
Thai Boxing (FREE), The Last Ninja (£3),

Elite 6 pack (£3), Kettle (FREE), Zork II
(FREE), Zork III (FREE), Wizball (£1),

Wonderboy (£3), Enduro Racer (£3), Quartet
(£3), Head over Heals (£1), Big 4 (FREE),

Mag Max (£1), Spy v Spy (£3), Gunship (£8),

Leaderboard-exec (£3), Thing on a Spring
(FREE), KET Trilogy (FREE).

Phone for availability of other titles.

ame

/.aX

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FREEPOST YOUR ORDER TODAY - NO STAMP REQUIRED

42 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

Matthew Tims of Outlaw Productions, flanked by Sensible Soft-
ware’s Jonathan ‘ Jops* Hare (left) and Christopher ‘Crix’ Yates

Those ‘far-out long-haired freaky
and weird’ Sensible Software prog-
rammers, Cuddly Crix and Jovial
Jops, have signed to Palace Soft-
ware’s new label, Outlaw Produc-
tions, for an undisclosed amount.
Having undergone some strenuous
training, they’re soon to return to
the first division with their Shoot
'em up Construction Kit ~ an easy-

to-use, ‘no programming experi-
ence required’ DIY utility which
allows you to write the sort Of
games that you would normally
have to pay an arm and a leg for.

Available sometime this
Autumn, SEUCK promises to be
of major interest to blasting fans
with the urge to design their own
games.

WHOOPS. APOLOGIES!

Due to circumstances beyond our
control (Steve had one to many
orange juices at lunch time), last
month’s Incentive Driller Thriller
competition had a closing date of
30th July. This should actually have
read 10th September, as a month
isn’t very long to program a
technological masterpiece, is it?

Anyway, you still have some time
left to add those all-important
finishing touches and send your
completed entry to ZZAP! DRIL-
LER COMPETITION, INCEN-
TIVE SOFTWARE, 2 Minerva
House, Calleva Park, Aldermas-
ton, Berkshire RG7 4QW.

FIN CLUB

Lovers of Piranha software will be having a whale of a time thanks to
the company's soon to be announced ‘Fin Club’. Information on this
august body will be announced at the PCW show, and will be included
in the packaging of the company's forthcoming games. Judge Death ,
Yogi Bear . Through the Trap Door and Flunky.

For a yearly fee of approximately £ 1 .60, club members will receive
a Piranha Pen. Badge. Club Card and Posters, along with a quarterly
newsletter from ‘auntie’ Helen Holland . . . sounds a bit fishv, eh!

• AS A PROMOTION for
Twister, several scantily-clad
stunnas cavorted at the PCW only
to be told to ‘cover up’ by the
prudish show organisers. Despite
the ban on these ‘bare essentials’,
Mark got quite friendly with one
girl from the troupe who he later
dated steadily for several months.

• MANY FAMOUS PROG-
RAMMERS have used System
3 as a launching pad on to greater
things. These include Dropzone
author Archer Maclean and Wiz-
ball Wonders Sensible Software

• A HUNKY SIX FOOTER,
Mark has never had much
trouble pulling the birds, his raven-
haired and brown-eyed good looks
have always been a hit with the
ladies (despite his Arthur Daley
accent). Though quite a cassanova
in his earlier days, he’s now settled
down with Rebecca who he met in
Neasden.

Computer Whizz Kid Mark Cale has cut quite a swathe in the computer
industry over the last four years, but despite being a face familiar to many,
Mark’s private life has been a secret known only to few. So here’s an
exclusive peek into the hectic life of System 3 supremo, Mark Cale.

♦

• DESPITE WORKING out at
least once a week, the good life
has taken its toll on Mark’s
waistline - he currently tips the
scales at a portly 13.5 STONES!

• BLESSED WITH a sharp
dress sense and a keen feel for
style, Mark buys his clothes almost
exclusively from chic west-end store
Coles, where many other stars are
known to shop.

• ORIGINALLY from a hum-
ble barrow boy background,
Mark’s first big break into the soft-
ware world came with a system
programming course he and two of
mates attended out of boredom.

• SHORTLY AFTER-

WARDS, the three boys
formed System 3 and launched
their first Mega Smash Hit Death
Star Interceptor (co-written by
Mark and partner Emerson Best).
Showing great foresight, and
seeing that great things were in
store, Mark shrewdly ‘bought out’
his two partners

• SYSTEM 3 originally hit the
headlines two years ago when
Cale announced the impending
release of ‘Twister, Mother of Har-
lots’. After an outcry over the raun-
chy name (and the even raunchier
advertising), the game was hastily
renamed to Twister, Mother of
Charlotte.

• MARK ONLY HAS ONE
pet, a dog called Apollo
(named after the Dobermann from
Magnum). Quite a Magnum fan,
Mark has recently bought a red
Ferarri Mondial - but won’t be able
to use it for few months after a
recent driving ban for speeding.

• EVEN THOUGH he now
lives in a world far removed
from his ‘east end’ beginnings,
Mark’s eating habits are still firmly
rooted in his past. Cale’s favourite
midday snack is a whole greasy
chicken . . . skin, bones and all!

awaited follow up to Crazy Comets.

The day’s major event was a
competition where readers repres-
enting a number of magazines (in-
cluding C&VG, Commodore User
and CCI) attempted to beat each
other to the high score. After much
joystick-waggling the result was a
win for ZZAP!, with Ian Fraser
taking the accolades. He was pre-
sented with a shield by Simon Nicol
and walked off with a bundle of free
Martech games.

The assembled hacks were also
invited to partake in a little compet-
ition, and our very own Jools
proved to be too much for the so-
called ‘opposition’, making off
with the second trophy of the day.
Hard luck, fellas.

Our very own Julian Rignall
recently escorted two lucky readers
(those super POKEers Tim and Ian
Fraser of Ruislip Middx) to the
playtesting launch of Martech’s
blockbusting shoot ’em up Mega
Apocalypse - Simon Nicol’s long-

Programmer Simon Nicol (left), presents Ian Fraser with the
Mega-Apocalypse trophy

Here it is folks, a new ZZAP! feature where we intend
to blow the lid on those whacky personalities in the
world of the C64. This week we unearth the dirt on
System 3’s jet-setting managing director, Mark
‘Magnum’ Cale.

US Gold have announced a new
spin-off label, GO, another venture
which is due to launched at this
year's PCW show. The grapevine
suggests that this new label will
release ‘spectacular full-priced new
games' - however, little else is
known at the time of going to
press . . . we'll keep you posted.

ROLLING UP
SOON . . .

BY STAVROS FASOULAS CBM 64/123

THE

QUEST FOR

ULTIMATE

DEXTERITY

ZZAP! 64 September 1987 43

As a taster for the impending release of Firebird’s latest arcade con-
version, Bubble Bobble, Firebird software are offering a first prize of
a Bubble Bobble arcade machine (approximate value - £1 ,000!) to the
winner of this great competition.

ADDRESS

44 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

The comp is also being run in our sister mag,
CRASH, so you’re up against a bit of competition
(Let’s make it a ZZAP! winner, eh folks?). Even the
runners up are well catered for, as Firebird are also
offering 25 copies of the game as consolation
prizes.

All you have to do to have this fine, upstanding
machine in your bedroom (front room, attic etc), is
to study the plan of an arcade console below, and
design the exterior panel artwork for a Bubble Bob-
ble machine as it might appear in an arcade (use the
drawing as a guide and blow it up to whatever size
you think necessary).

The first prize will go to the entry who, in the Ed’s
considered;?) opinion, has the most innovative and
original ideas - not necessarily the one with the
most professional looking artwork, so don’t despair
those of you who can’t draw too well!

Your completed artwork should be sent to: MY
BIT ON THE SIDE, ZZAP! 64, PO BOX 10, LUD-
LOW, SHROPSHIRE, SY8 1DB to arrive no later
than 1 0th September, Please don’t forget to include
your name, full address and telephone number if
possible. What are waiting for? . . . Get scribbling!

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From Taito, the masters of arcade entertainment

‘BUBBLE BOBBLE’

Blow and bounce and bob your way into oblivion in this
incredible conversion of the greatest arcade game of

the year...

Bubble Bobble will blast your brains and bruise your

senses..:

Baffle yourself.. .buy Bubble Bobble
Spectrum £ 7.95 Commodore & Amstrad cassette
£ 8.95 Commodore disk £ 12.95 Amstrad disc
£ 14 . 95 , and for the Atari ST £ 19.95

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Firebird Software, First Floor, 64-76 New Oxford St., London WC1 A 1 PS.
Firebird is a Registered Trademark of British Telecommunications pic.

Prepare yourself for the greatest adventure yet - The GUILD of THIEVES. The ultimate challenge for master criminals
everywhere.

Your mission , to gain membership of the prestigious Guild of Thieves. But first you must successfully return from a mythical
isle within Kerovnia having stolen its hidden treasures.

Now the prospect of looting and pillaging the island may seem enticing, but you* II need all the ingenuity you can muster, and
of course criminal cunning as you try to unravel clue after clue and solve a wealth of devious puzzles.

With its sensational text and dazzling graphics The GUILD of THIEVES is a quest that's sure to tax the most resourceful
mastermind. After all, as every Guild member knows, only crime pays . '

The GUILD of THIEVES incorporates 29 remarkable scene - setting graphics and the kind of complex intrigue and surprise that
has established the Magnetic Scrolls team as worthy award winners.

The Guild of Thieves available on CBM 64/128 from
Rainbird Software and all good retailers at £19.95 (or less)...

It's a steal.

FOR MAIL ORDER ENQUIRIES "
WRITE TO: PO BOX 394 LONDON N8 OQR
OR CONTACT JONATHAN WEBSTER ON

01-240 1334

Screenshots stolen from the ATARI ST version.

RAINBIRD SOFTWARE, FIRST FLOOR, 74 NEW OXFORD
STREET, LONDON WC1A IPS. Rainbird and the Rainbird
logo are trademarks of British Telecommunications pic.

' 1 •■11

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Even Wizards need a holiday, so hidden away on the Lands End peninsula the \

Wandrous One

. . . casts his spell over Guild of Thieves for the 64 - is it a steal or a rip-off? j

. . . previews Level 9's Knight Ore - can this most venerable software house
survive in the new age of 16-bit machines and disc-based games?

. . and gets outshined in Shades - is it really worth a modem, a pound an hour and
an exorbitant phone bill to get into multi-user games,

or are they for MUGs only? • -

Guild of Thieves

Magnetic Scrolls/Rainbird, £19.95, disk only

, ■ . . ■
Thieves. It may not be as original or

way out as some of the things

we've seen lately, but it's

definitely shaping up to bebni<hf%

the Wiz's favourite games ,' : |ii||p||||

You start off sittirig in a boat ||j|
mid-stream witM : l:represieiili|B||
of the Guild. To gain admission |B|
this august body you must loot the
surrounding countryside of all its
valuables.

have here a very traditional
scenario — the good oh treasure
hum.

If you're wondering why there
should be anything good about
sticking to traditional themes
instead of inventing startling new
plots, the answer is that the very
structure of adventure programs
revolves heavily around locations
and objects. It makes sense there-
fore to have a scenario t«B
rewards the discovery of locations
and objects with good solid points!
So traditionalists yvdll note with
glee the score counter constantly
displayed at the top of the scre|i||
(together with the nutnbfi
moves you've made)

The parser is onc<
nificent. You can mai
of your good ol;l§|
example. PUT ALL j
LAMP IN THE SWA
CLOSE IT will execul

|wi||T0utdifficulty. This means that ?
playing the game becomes an
enjoyable exercise of the 1 magma-
|fehi?rather than a battle of misun-
derstood words.

you move about you 11 start';;
to make use of another feature of
1 the parset - the GO TO command.
Once you've visited a location or
EXAMINEd and object you can GO
TO it from another place. In the

been seen dead playing an adven-
ture suddenly went all ga-ga
because of the pretty pictures. And
the parser meant that they could
communicate with the game.
Therefore a whole legion of self-
appointed adventure reviewers
sprung up proclaiming The
Pawn to be the best thing since
sliced bread.

Meanwhile for us dedicated
adventurers the real question has
yet to be answered - are these
Magnetic Scrolls adventures actu-
ally good games? Are they worth
your £19.95, oris 90% of the satis-
faction derived from just looking
at the pretty pics and entering PUT
THE IVORY KEY IN THE SWAG
BAG AND THEN DROP THE
POISON ON THE STEPS.

The Wiz sat down to play Guild
of Thieves with slight misgivings. I
wondered why this was and
realised to my horror that I hadn't
actually enjoyed playing The
Pawn very much. Sacrilege! But
although others will doubtless dis-
agree, I felt that it was just a bit
pretentious. It had some great puz-
but the

well let's it a ;

came its. quite a pleasant
surprise when I found get-!

ting very engrossed in

e ' ve already

taken a P rey i ew

wiSM! P eek at this 8 ame
on l ^ e Atari ST

Imjfm 'v \\\BJ but now we've

got the 64 ver-
A % Ah sion Wiz can
iv mL give you the low

l OW low-down.

First let's do a bit of image strip-
ping so we can see what the game
itself is actually like. Magnetic
Scrolls leaped into the headlines
last year with The Pawn - stupend-
ous parser, brill graphics, interac-
tive characters, original scenario,
new software house (well almost),
Rainbird marketing and multi-for-
mat availability.

The last two points are very sig-
nificant - there are really only four
companies in the UI< that have
marketed their games forcefully
across all formats - Adventure
International (now defunct)

through the intervening locations
to the temple where the statue is).

There are two points to note
about the GO TO command. First
it can kill you if you're not careful.
For example typing GO TO fl|j|
PLE in the Lounge will
out of the castle by way q|lltp

it. Apparently, seeing it i

naiists would

iiillll;

;

Infocom disc accesses seem
quicker than these, and at tense
moments I found the delays a real
annoyance.

There's a particularly long
access when the game loads in a
new graphic scene. The pics are
great, but if (as with most people)
your expectations have been
raised by seeing the Atari screen-
shots that most other magazines
printed, then you are in for a slight
disappointment. You certainly
won't find yourself complaining
about the lack of illustration,
although sometimes you may find
yourself wasting time examining
objects that are clearly shown in
the drawings, but don't in fact exist
within the program.

Guild of Thieves is an excellent
program, combining- Magnetic
Scrolls' programming expertise
with a more accessible scenario
and some excellent puzzles. It
should take you a long time to
finish and numerous SAVEs will
be needed. Sadly there's no RAM-
save option and - equally annoy-
ing - no catalogue function to ena-
ble you to check up on previous
saved filenames. However, these
are minor quibbles about a game
that's destined to be a classic. Even
at £19.95 you can't go far wrong.

Use of the safety deposit boxes
highlights another excellent fea-
ture of this adventure - the game
design. All of the puzzles are won-
derfully "constructed - logical,
sometimes quite difficult, and very
satisfying to solve. For example,
the safes will not relinquish an
article once it's been put inside. So
you have to be quite careful about
banking your treasures, making

sure first that what you have is a
treasure and not something that
you will require later on.

Having played the game on both
the Commodore and the ST, I
found one aspect to be less than
satisfying - the disc accesses. The
game comes on two discs, and
although actual disc swapping is
kept to a bare minimum, the old
1541 grinds away for ages. Even

The GO TO command is particu-
larly useful when storing your
treasure. Valuables aren't that
difficult to find to start with, but
the inexperienced player may
wonder why picking them up
doesn't increase his/her score. The
answer is that they only register
when you've put them in one of
the Bank of Kerovnia's safety
deposit boxes.

Atmosphere

Interaction

Challenge

Overall

Magic and Hordes of the Mountain
King. However, you don't have to
read the novella to get on in the
game.

Apart from an upgraded parser
(see below) the real difference
between Knight Ore and previous
Level 9 games is the inclusion of
interactive characters. As Pete

for play and a short 'novella'
detailing the exploits of Grok
Grindleguts and other ores. It's
quite readable stuff, incorporating
a gay dragon, a hoard of treasure,
a tavern and a sense of humour.
The novella sets the scene for the
game itself which falls into three
sections - Loosed Ore, A Kind of

pii p VTFW f

Level 9/Rainbird, £19.95

H irr-agf l R> Wiz has yet to

play a 64 version
‘llaBS. of this game so

El l ^ S is a P rey i ew

'mwK rat ^ er t * ian a

gw proper review.

& ^J c However, as
Knight Ore is a
Tmmm A crucial > release
for Level 9, I'm bringing you my
impressions of the game as played
on the Atari ST. The days are
passed when the Austins were the
only people to take the adventure
market seriously - and as a result
were the only people taken seri-
ously by adventurers. Level 9 were
kings; of the cassette market, but
nowadays disc drives are becom-
ing; • more common — asp; are
machines with more memory and
h^|e||;: graphics facilities. Level 9
made;:i|teir name with text com-
p res si on and text-only games -but
can they survive in the new era?

The game comes with a chunky
eluding fu II instruction s

;:j£xjx;x&x%

duction versions. I certainly hope
so - if you're going to borrow other
people's ideas you've got to equal
them at least, otherwise you run
the risk of appearing naff.

As for the subject matter,
well . . . The Wiz isn't quite so
sure about this. The Pawn may
have been 'way out', and Guild of
Thieves may be more successful
because of its traditional structure,
but I can't help feeling that Knight
Ore carries things a little too far
backwards. Okav, so treasure

Austin remarked recently 'The
range of puzzles you can have that
involve picking up and using
objects has been thoroughly
explored - introducing characters
has to be the next step. ' No sooner
said than done it seems.

In Knight Orc f as you control the
actions of orcine Grindleguts you
can FOLLOW another character,
address another character using
the NAME MESSAGE format, and
even WAIT FOR another character
to arrive. Much of the game's chal-
lenge lies in recruiting allies, so
you'll find yourself doing quite a
bit of communication.

One of the best aspects of this
interaction is the ability to 'queue' 1 teensy-weensy
commands to other characters. Can't we thinl

The manual gives this typical introduce spe(

example ... game rather tl

TROLL, WAIT 2, IN. KILL VAM- ^ASTSPEL

MOUSE, WAIT 1, IN, KILL VAM-

IN, KILL VAMPIRE parser has beer

, can now GO

Entering the above three com- ano ther locati

mands in sequence outside the FIND an objecl

vampire's lair brings all three of EVERYTHING
you into the lair for a simultaneous TheuseofEXC

attack on the blood-sucker. I t think tl

The fact is however that Level 9 tQ have cause
l still have a lot to learn when it I interaction
j comes to actually programming Secondly, t
interactive characters. There are Level 9 relea;
occasional gaffs as in . . . from occasion

DENZYL WHO ARE YOU shot at the re

To which Denzyl replies 'I'll get this appeals to
onto it at once.' Hmmm ... on your own \

Denzyl and other characters also example if the
I suffer from the program's rather member of the
| unconvincing technique of print- be a 'sweaty ]

! ing little messages about them at to you, then >

intervals -as if to persuade us that Knight Ore's so
the characters really do have lives Finally then
of their own. So as you hang sense of hu

around Denzyl, the program will Sometimes it ;
I suddenly come up with 'He mum- anyone who's
bles quietly' or something similar. in particular v
This is a bit like The, Hobbit where minutes quit<
Thorin 'starts singing about gold'. (who's renov
I can understand the designer's sense of humc
j intention behind such messages, adventures)

| but after a while they become jar- j occasionally a
ring and unconvincing. Magnetic cried out in tin
Scrolls' characters (and Infocom's) The nitty-£
don't advertise their presence days we are :
quite so obviously - and are more involvement
effective as a result. accomplished

Like all of Level 9's recent adventure w
games, Knight Ore comes complete and Advent

• with graphics. As I said, I've only replaced by ]

* seen the ST version, but this was Hitchhikers , c

| enough to persuade me that the generators liL

company have taken heed of pre- Magnetic Scr
vious criticism on the piccy front. available to

► Rainbird’s Chief Ore, Adrian Howells, Orc-e strates an attack on
ZZAP! towers

WOTS

AVAILABLE

FROM

19th AUGUST

your

LOCAL

INDEPENDENT
COMPUTER SHOP

very effective contrast to the usual
approach of trying for an almost
photographic realism (as in Guild

Of K - *

The company have also taken a
leaf out of Magnetic Scrolls' book

e graphics scrollable
>11 them up and down

H&D Services

133S, Ashton Old Road, Higher Openshaw, Manchester

ii nx inis hi nit: ui

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»»

S HADES is the multi-user game run by Micronet and available to all
Micronetand Prestel subscribers. If you’ve never played a Multi-User
Game on-line before, then this is an ideal introduction. What’s it like
to bask in SHADES?

The Wiz recently went on a tour of SHADES
in the delightful company of Sappho the Witch.
Sappho is one of a select band of 33 Wizards,
Witches and Arch-Wizards who have reached
' the pinnacle of SHADES, where - like MUD -
the objective is to reach Wizard (or Witch)
status by collecting treasure and treating other
players with proper respect . . . killing them
that is.

MUD, which the Wiz has already looked at
this year, is a scrolling text format game, but
SHADES is of course in Viewdata format. This
has the advantage of adding colour to the
proceedings, but it is slightly less suitable for
long textual interaction. As it turns out this is
not a drawback in the game, as SHADES is a
very different animal to play than MUD - it’s
less formal, more friendly in the early stages,
and much more dependent on interaction
between the players.

Sappho herself has played MUD about
seven times ‘ I got killed each time within afew
moves and found the other players to be rather
intolerant of beginners. ’ This is also something
the Wiz has experienced, but it’s not because
MUD is an unfriendly place. The reason is

SHADY

TACTICS

One class of SHADES player is worth
watching out for - the 'killer’. Most
players will at some time or another go
on a 'killing’ spree, and many will create
a persona (or game character)
specifically as a 'killer’ character.

The reason for this is simple -
knocking off your fellow men and
women gets you a share of their points.
Some killers go on the rampage
regularly, changing their names
whenever they meet a gruesome end,
and thereby preventing other more
innocent characters getting to know
who they are.

It can be quite an emotional
experience for a player to lose a
character to a killer - particularly if
you’ve spent a lot of time building that
character up and have come to identify
closely with it. Any disappointment,
however, is likely to be tempered by the
knowledge that you’ve done similar
things to other players in the past.

If you do get killed by an attacker, you
lose half your points and must start
building up your character again. If you
attack someone else, however, and they
kill you, then you are reduced to NOVICE
statues, regardless of how advanced
your character was when you set out.
There is a price to pay for homicidal
tendencies!

probably partly to do with the system itself -
MUD is a dedicated multi-user adventure
system, whereas SHADES, being part of
Micronet, can be played by anyone who
suddenly has a whimsy to go trekking and
treasure hunting.

There are three types of people who play
SHADES,’ says Sappho, ‘the ‘T’ (treasure)
hunters, the killers, and the chatters.’ The
Killers, although they sound a little unpleasant,
are in fact an essential part of the game - giving

LETTING IT
ALL HANG
OUT

SHADES really encourages you to share
your feelings with others. The huge
number of emotional commands
encourage interaction, and do much to
create the game’s unique atmosphere.
Here’s a selection of what you can try on
your fellow SHADEists . . .

BLUSH GROAN SLAP BOOGIE
GROWL SNARL BOP HEHE SNEER
CHEER LAUGH SNIFF CHUCKLE
MUMBLE SNIGGER CLAP PEER SOB
CRINGE POGO STRUT CRY QUAKE
SULK FOAM SCREAM TAP GIBBER
SHRUG WAVE GIGGLE WIGH WHISTLE
CUDDLE KISS EMOTE HUG STROKE
KICK WINK XPLODE YAWN.

Some of these simply allow you to let
off steam, whereas others (like HUG) are
interactive and require you to find
someone to get friendly with.

it a certain thrill that would otherwise be
missing. Since you can have different
personae on SHADES, most people will create
two characters for different purposes - one for
killing, for example, and one for exploration.

The chatters are people who drop in from
other areas of Micronet just for a quick natter
with other SHADEists (as players are called),
whereas the ‘T’ hunters dedicate themselves
to the pursuit of material wealth.

SHADES was written by Neil Newell and
inspired by MUD, back in 1985/6. The game
differs partly because of its structure, in that
only eight players can play a game
simultaneously- if more than eight players log
on then a new game is created. Up to eight "
games can run at the same time, which means
that up to 64 players can be logged onto the
system at once, Under certain circumstances
this can be doubled by running another system
in parallel, giving facilities for 128 players.

As far as you’re concerned, there will only be
eight, however. Couple this with the fact that
the game resets automatically every 45
minutes, and you can see that for a beginner

GAME

OUTLINE

Micronet Shades are landscapes of
dreams and adventures reached by a
gateway on Micronet. Players roam the
lands, using the eight points of the
compass and commands such as IN,
OUT, UP and DOWN.

The aim is to score as many points as
possible by collecting treasure and
dropping it into the Mad King’s room in
the castle. Having scored some points it
is a good idea to save, because unsaved
points are lost if you get killed or cut off.

The objects scattered around the
lands are classified as Treasure, Tools
(Keys that give you access to Treasure,
for example) and Weapons (that you may
use to kill or defend yourself against
attacks). Some objects fall into more
than one category.

Attacks from other players and
Mobiles (computer generated creatures
that roam the land) must be fended off. If
you are attacked you may defend
yourself by typing Retaliate with
(weapon). If you have no weapon you
may be killed unless you flee out. Doing
this, however, will lose you 3% of your
points.

You can try to kill another player or
mobile by typing Kill (player) - or with a
Weapon, Kill (player) with (weapon).

If you attempt to kill a player and you,
yourself, are killed, you will lose all of
your points. If another player attacks you
and kills you, you only lose half.

All mobiles and players are liable to
attack you without warning. The Strange
Little Girl, however, is useful, as
touching her regains lost stamina.

You start as a novice, passing through
the higher levels as you gain points, until
eventually you reach Wizard status.
Your Stamina, Strength, and ability to
cast Spells increase as you progress.

It is a good idea to 'map’ the land as
you play. To help you along, Micronet
have produced a basic map of the land.
There are many locations not included
on this, but it’s up to you to discover
them for yourself.

the program is rather less daunting then MUD.
To start with, you’ve got only seven human
opponents, and secondly the frequent resets
guarantee that you’ll find at least
some treasure.

Despite the small number of players in each
game, SHADES is a very lively place. This is
because there are a large number of mobiles in
the game - computer controlled interactive
characters that lead a life of their own. The
characters are very well developed and have
very distinct characteristics. Whether you
encounter a Mouse or a Demon, you’ll still have
to be on your guard to protect your valuables,
or possibly even your life.

SHADES is also very lively because of the
enormous number of interactive commands
that encourage the human players to talk to

50 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

40 1 999998 f

SHADES
STROLLER

Welcome to the newspaper designed to
keep you in touch with all that's
happening in the Shade, plus much,
much more. . . Horrorscopes, Radical
Sorcery, Cookery, Agony Aunt and tor
all those aiming tor Uitchood, a
Uimmins ' Page tull ot hints on how
to succeed as a female Shad is t .

KEY # To start readin

Mbx 819990683

Database 9 Enter Shades

^ ry f .» «• ( y, I j emit.

401999998g

- - * Shades the Game welcomes you

If you haven’t played before type
HELP, then LOGIN to play the game.

Please read The SHADES Khronikles -
Updated 20 th July 1987

You are connected to Shades line 4

? INFO - Type LOGIN Cor HELP>

SYS >

each other, hug each other, and generally carry
on. You can Pogo, Boogie, Kiss, Hug, Sniff,
Snigger - and a whole lot more. Best of all,
there’s a command called EMOTE which
enables you to do almost anything to anyone
else, by typing EMOTE (message). This

enables you to define your own emotional
activity - hmmm . . . could be interesting. As
Sappho points out, commands like EMOTE
mean that in SHADES you can literally have a
party between players.

In fact his spirit of interaction extends right

COMMAND

Here’s a list of commands available in
SHADES - many of them can be
abbreviated, which is a distinct
advantage when speed of interaction
helps you make progress and save log-
on costs.

BRIEF COMMANDS DOWN DROP
EAST FLEE FOLLOW GET GIVE GO
INVENTORY KILL LOSE MOVE NORTH
NORTHEAST NORTHWEST PICK
POWER QUIT RETALIATE RUN SAVE
SAY SCORE SHOUT SOUTH
SOUTHEAST SOUTHWEST STEAL
SUMMON TAKE TELL UP VALUE
VERBOSE WALK WEIGHT WEST
WHERE WHO

outside the game. ‘I’ve got a lot of personal
friends who I’ve met through the game. There
are pub evenings and get-togethers, though
most seem to happen down South in London
- London seems to be the meeting place for
SHADEists.’ But that doesn’t mean that there
won’t be many players near you - wherever
you live. There are many players in the North of
England, for example, and because Prestel/
Micronet is accessible for the cost of a local
call almost all over the country, it won’t cost
you the earth to log on. MUD by comparison
requires either a long distance call to London
or a special PSS link.

The Wiz found SHADES a far more energetic
game than MUD. There is something rather
grandiose about the Multi-User Dungeon - the
location descriptions are long and in vivid,
grand style, the players tend to be slightly aloof
-especially from novices. In general, the
atmosphere seems to be one of dedication to
the straight and narrow path of adventure, with
some interaction providing an added
dimension to the game. However, in SHADES,

I think it’s true to say that interaction is the
game. For some serious adventurers, this may
not be so attractive, and some might even find
SHADES a little childish - but for those who
thirst for a chat and a quick treasure hunt with
the minimum of fuss it’s a great game.

There are currently rumours of a new MUG
appearing within Micronet, but to date nothing
is fixed. SHADES costs you 1 .62 pence per
minute to play (6p a minute if you’re on Prestel
but not on Micronet) plus Prestel log-on
charges. That’s not too much to fork out, and
there’s currently a special offer giving five
hours free play. If you’re not on either Prestel
or Micronet, then you might like to know that
the company are doing a special deal, offering
a free modem with every subscription to the
service.

To play SHADES on Micronet, go to page
*81 18#. To join Prestel/Micronet, write to them
at DURRANT HOUSE, B HERBAL HILL,
LONDON, EC1 R 5EJ. Telephone 01 278 31 43.
If you’re of the easy-going social type, I can
recommend a dip into the game- MUD may be
the more serious quest for some, but in
SHADES you can set your sights on Wizard-
dom - and Boogie all the way!

ZZAP! 64 September 1 987 51

” MISS THIS UNO YOU'RE MISSING
THE BEST PROGRAM OP THE YEAR! "

COMMODORE 64

i J ®0lW i " WIZBALL IS THE FINEST RELEASE this year

At !ast ' something to enthuse about!... presentation are second to nm

A breath of fresh air... Avery individual concept...

Ji Biy ? ioads of neat touches.. . gorgeous animation . . .

~ l could go on and on. ..the music and sound effects
are great... It's a distinctly professional production.itsstyle
and content placing it head and shoulders above existing

software ... Wizball is simply brilliant -one of the best
presented, most graphically and aurally attractive and addictive pieces of
software available:

Wizball is the finest release this year. The scenario and
design are so original. ..Playing is a joy.. The graphics. soun<

' The sound throughout is great This is definitely one groovey
game ..Enough imagination has gone into it to make it
different and still keep it immensely playable. Graphics are fab! '
■' COMMODORE USER

B00i

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POO H

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RATIONALISED

RATINGS

Normal service is resumed this month, after a brief break last month
to panic over my finals. Finals at Oxford are conducted in a curious
manner, which involves dressing up in black dinner jackets and bow
ties and sitting for 30 hours in a building made of pink marble. It
amounted to psychological disorientation on a grand scale, and left
me little time to go to war. What did I get? I don’t know yet . . . prob-
ably a second like everyone else.

I thought I’d devote this month’s introduction to explaining my rat-
ings system in detail.

PRESENTATION

Presentation involves everything that doesn’t directly relate to the
game, excluding the graphics (which, even in a strategy game, can
be said to be part of the gameplay). So that doesn’t just mean the
packaging (though packaging is important when you’ve paid for a
product), it means the general on-screen appearance, whether the
program looks ‘tatty round the edges’, and — importantly — what
impression the ‘front end’ makes. In a strategy game there often has
to be a complex orders system, and this can be very badly designed
when programmers really make an effort.

GRAPHICS

This is self-explanatory, but I try to consider the distinction between
prettiness and usefulness. Good graphics are those which are
appropriate to the game, and so a few simple, elegantly designed
lines can be better than a screenful of messy colour if the game’s idea
is better expressed that way.

RULES

Rules are vitally important to a strategy game, which so often has to
exist in the imagination. I prefer to see the game mechanics
explained (though others don’t like this) , and therefore I always com-
mend background detail.

AUTHENTICITY

This is a nebulous quality. To what extent can a stylised set of boxes
and lines on a television screen ever be said to be authentic — espe-
cially when what they’re trying to represent is a noisy, smoking,
muddy battlefield in the Napoleonic Wars? Authenticity is the factor
by which a game, through its various aspects, manages to reduce the
gap between reality and what’s on screen.

PLAYARIUTY

Playability may be generated differently by arcade games and strat-
egy games, but the effect on the player is much the same. Playability
can probably be boiled down to 1 the promise of more ’ , and it ’ s faintly
analagous to an absorbing plot in a television drama. Empty and
unsatisfactory games can have a high degree of initial playability -
who, once started, can resist watching ‘Neighbours’?

OVERALL

I feel I can give a game a high overall percentage without much refer-
ence to the individual ratings. A game may be badly presented, have
weedy and obstructive graphics, rules which hardly cover the back
of the inlay, and try to claim that Napoleon invaded India . . . and still
remain fascinating. Most of the individual ratings are descriptive,
but the last three are evaluative.

Having said all that, I wouldn’t take ratings very seriously. Most
of what I really have to say about the game is contained within the
body of the review, and the best way of judging whether or not you
would like to buy it is to study that and decide if it sounds like the sort
of game you’d enjoy.

SHARD OF

SSI, £19.99 disk only

hard of Spring is a
game of a type I
would usually
pour scorn upon,
the computer
‘fantasy roleplay-
ing game’. As a
real live rolep-
layer, I’m deeply
convinced that it is not possible to
reproduce the experience of this
sort of game on a computer. And
although Shard of Spring is a very
playable piece of entertainment
software, it’s good for reasons other
than those which it intends.

The action takes place on the
island of Ymros, where until
recently, it was always Spring. This
phenomenon was brought about by
the presence on the island of the
Shard of the title, and, due appa-
rently to appalling careless security
precautions, this desirable piece of
crystalware has been stolen by an
evil witch called Siriadne. The
temptress has threatened to
destroy the crystal and thus turn
Ymros into an icy wasteland unless
the peasants pay tributes to her.
The field is clearly wide open for
adventurers to do their stuff.

What we really have here is an
excuse to string together a collec-
tion of dungeons, quests and wilder-
ness encounters (to use the rolep-
laying technical terms), based
around a structure of character
advancement and acquisition of
wealth. The possibility of eventually
winning by achieving the ultimate
objective is also held out. Most of
the game is spent in melee, so it’s
fortunate that the close combat sys-
tem is extremely good.

H’he first thing to do is to ‘roll up’
a party. A party must consist of at
least two, and can contain as many
as five characters. There is no
advantage at all in having fewer
than five in your party, as they all
add to the firepower and don’t cost
much to feed. A human character
can either be a Warrior or a Wizard,
and the other races have already
had the choice made for them.

Characters are allocated statistics
in the usual range of ‘attributes’ by

random computer dice-rolls.
Although it seems absurd to give a
computer character a statistic for its
intelligence, the ‘intellect’ attribute
makes itself useful by governing
how many skill points can be spent
on skills like the ability to use a
sword, or to hunt. Similarly, the
‘skill’ attribute itself determines the
percentage chance of hitting a
target, and strength adds a damage
modifier. When the game lunges
into melee combat, the use of all the
attributes is brought immediately to
the surface of the gameplay. They
have no feeling of irrelevance, as
happens so often in this type of
game.

Warrior characters can choose
from a list of skills specific to them.
They need to have a weapon skill of
some sort, but more unusual skills
include armoured skin and persua-
siveness, which lets the character
negotiate a discount on items sold
in shops. Wizard skills are slightly
different, because choosing one of
the five ‘rune’ skills allows the
wizard to have at his command a
range of six or seven spells. Finally,
and essentially, the character is
named. The latter half of this name
has a tendency to be swallowed by
the program when it feels like it,
which gives an amateurish impres-
sion.

All characters are stored on a
separate disk (one of yours, which
the program formats for you), and
once you’ve created as many as you
want you can arrange them into
parties. There’s space on the disk for
25 characters and five parties, but
you can only go out adventuring
with one party at a time.

Having swapped disks round
once more and entered the game,
the player finds his party
represented by a single figure in the
middle of a map. The map is pretty
enormous, and I can vouch for that
because I’ve been mapping it. What
you see on the screen at any one
time is a portion nine by nine square
of the landscape surrounding your
party. The basic terrain types are
plain, forest, mountains and marsh,
bounded by water. Special

locations, such as towns and the
entrances to underground
complexes, are easily identifiable.
As might be expected it takes longer
to cross a mountain square than a
plain square, but the game is not set
in ‘real time’. The hour of the day
and the day of the month can be
called up at any time. After a certain
number of hours it begins to get
dark, and at this point it’s a good
idea to set up camp and sleep.

You can set up camp at any time
of the day, and it’s often essential
because it’s the only way to access
a wider range of options. Once
encamped the player can examine
individual members of the party, try
to identify potions and items found,
swap round equipment and heal
each other’s wounds. The inadvisa-
bility of taking too literal a view of
the game is illustrated in this proce-
dure. If a character buys a weapon
and a set of armour in a town, before
he can put on the armour and get
the weapon ready to hand he has to
leave the town, go a little way out
into the country, and pitch a tent!

Combat is extremely well-man-
aged - and this is a good thing, for if
it weren’t one of the best aspects of
the game, the whole program would
be a disaster. When they party
stumbles across something to wave
its swords at - and you don’t see
them coming - the screen display
changes to a blow-up of the area,
with characters shown for the first
time as individual figures. Combat
always starts with the opposing
sides a few squares apart. This is
where movement points become
the currency of combat; it costs two
movement points to move one
square, one to turn around, and
three to make an attack. Each
character, friend or foe, takes his
turn according to speed. A charac-
ter’s accuracy and ability to inflict
damage depends on his skill rating,
his strength, the type of weapon
he’s using and the opponent’s
armour.

The landscape is interspersed
with dungeons and towns. At the
towns you can buy weapons,
armour and foods, take your charac-

ters up levels, and meet that familiar
roleplaying figure . . . the old man
in the pub who tells you what your
next quest will be. The dungeons
take you into the usual subterra-
nean corridors populated with
monsters and hiding treasure.

Although I’m sceptical on princi-
pal about this sort of game, there’s
no doubt that Shard of Spring is an
excellent design. The island is a
graded exercise in adventuring,
with the wilderness and dungeons
on the East side containing easier
monsters than those on the West.
It’s playable to the point of being
addictive. Testimony to this is the
fact that a friend and I sat up to half
past two playing it, when we were
in the last weeks before our Finals.

What the game lacks is imagina-
tive design, and because of that,
atmosphere. But I can certainly rec-
ommend it, even to those who don’t
think they like roleplaying on a com-
puter.

PRESENTATION 55%

A generally lacklustre appear-
ance, including a clumsy
orders system and long and
irritating pauses for disk
access.

GRAPHICS 65%

The representation of the wil-
derness is adequate but dull.

RULES 88%

Clear descriptions, with tables
describing some of the game’s
mechanics.

AUTHENTICITY 60%

Although giving a sense of vas-
tness and variety, disbelief is
never suspended for very long .

PLAYABILITY 90%

Absorbing, tantalising, and
satisfying.

OVERALL 88%

Just short of brilliant.

ZZAP! 64 September 1987 55-

PRESENTATION 85%

The toQlkit is useful for wiring
plugs. But having to change
the disk round so often is
rather boring.

GRAPHICS 30%

Worse than poor, because they
defeat the atmosphere.

RULES 84%

Excellent.

AUTHENTICITY 50%

Despite the beautifully
detailed car specifications, the
game does nothing to conjour
up the required atmosphere.

PLAYABILITY 70%

Although it’s frustratingly
difficult to get started, it’s easy
to spend a long time trying.

OVERALL 70%

Some good points and the
promise of lasting play — but
the serious drawbacks might
become too irritating in the
long run.

drawing. Nice white fences, little
cows by the roadside, well-kept
homesteads and trees conspire to
ridicule the scenario.

As the game’s object is to build
the best car you can and win
autoduelling championships, the
immediate aim is to make money. I
found the easiest way to do this is to
by-pass all that dangerous and
uncertain autoduelling and head by
bus for Atlantic City, where you can
take part in a very lenient and gener-
ous game of Draw Poker! But the
proper way to make your first few
thousand is to take part in the
amateur Night event at the arena.
The prize is £1500 dollars and a
couple of points of prestige. When
you have your own armed and
armoured green Mini you can take
part in the Division Combats and the
highly dangerous City Champion-
ships.

The other main way of making
money and gaining prestige is to run
courier tasks for the AADA. Visiting
their buildings offers the player a
choice of four different tasks every
day. This seems to me one of the
most interesting aspects of the
game. If your car isn’t big enough
and your prestige isn’t high enough
the AADA will have no hesitation in
refusing you for an important job.

Most of the loving care in the
design of this game has gone into
the car specifications. There are
seven basic types of body design,
four chassis modifications, three
kinds of suspension, and four grades

of ‘power plant’ to choose from. All
of these affect how much the vehicle
can carry, how fast it can go, and
how easy it will be to handle. After
that, there are tyres, weapons and
armour to decide on, and there are
12 weapon types to choose from. It’s
just a pity that when your armoured
tank rolls off the efficient production
lines it still looks like a green Mini.

These and other touches of vari-
ety (such as the ability to salvage
cars you’ve destroyed and sell the
scrap) seem to promise a substantial
game. AutoDuel does have a feeling
of solidity and of things to do and
places to go, but there are objections
which may be more than superficial.
The enemy cars in the amateur night
contest are always in exactly the
same place every time, in every city.
It is depres singly easy to get killed
very suddenly, and the only life
insurance you can take out is to have
a clone made ; which is so expensive
that it’s hardly worth doing until
you’ve built up a substantial for-
tune. Frustration dominates over
enjoyment, and I find it difficult to
believe that the gameplay settles
down later.

But the potential for expansion in
a game which is so difficult to get
started in is tantalising. You can
own up to eight cars, you can track
down top secret missions for the
FBI, and you can become king of the
arena. But there is no grand object,
something which I think all games
should have, however excitingly
remote it may be. AutoDuel is a
lonelv aame.

You start out as a raw, untested
candidate for greatness, with a
small amount of money and no veh-
icle to call your own. The game
opens in New York, with 15 other
cities to hit later on; you are first of
all asked to create a character for the
driver by spending 50 points betw-
een the three skills of driving ability,
marksmanship and mechanical abil-
ity. The character of the driver is
therefore very simply defined, the
real complexity being reserved for
the much more important creation
of the car.

A poor driving ability means that
the car can become impossible to
control properly with the joystick if
tyres blow, and low marksmanship
makes it difficult to hit an oppo-
nent’s car. This is an uneasy inter-
face between game reality and
physical reality. In an arcade game
(and lots of sequences in AutoDuel
are clearly demanding an arcade-
style approach), the interaction
between the human player, the
joystick, and the movement on
screen is a real event. A strategy
game exists much more in the imag-
ination, which is why strategy
games can get away with bad
graphics. Character statistics relat-
ing to ability very definitely belong
to this imaginative sphere, and
when they get between the move-
ment on screen and the player’s
own, real developing ability at man-
ipulating the movement it is irritat-
ing.

This is the background to a more
serious objection. The graphics in
the action sequences are not at all
good. The car you drive, no matter
how complex on paper, always looks
like a very simple Mini viewed from
above. The arenas in each town are
identical, consisting of stick-like
fencing and rocks with a lot of blank
space. But when you hit the mean
hard motorways of the 21st century,
it’s disappointing to find that the
landscape looks rather like a child’s

AUTO DUEL

Origin Systems,
£19.95 disk only

hen I took over the
ZZAP! strategy
reviews I

expected the
games I’d be sent
to be different,
but I did not
expect to find a
toolkit in one. And
I don’t mean a software toolkit, I
mean a miniature set of screwdriv-
ers with a tiny hammer and a tiny
wrench tucked together in a neat
plastic pouch. This I suppose is
called imaginative packaging;
though the kind of cars AutoDuel
deals with are likely to need a some-
what larger maintenance kit.

Apart from the toolkit, the
AutoDuel package offers a substan-
tial 32 page rulebook and a colourful
fold-out road map - oh yes . . . and
a disk. The game incorporates an
arcade element which is central to
the gameplay. Therefore strategy
gamers who have no patience with
games which demand a degree of
joy stick- waggling will not be
enamoured of this release.

The setting is the kind of arid,
technological, aggressively bleak
future that Americans seem to anti-
cipate. The roads between the
major ‘fortress cities’ have become
almost impassable unless you’re
driving an armoured tank, and the
favourite spectator sport is combat
to the death in the autoduelling
arenas. Also, the only way of trans-
porting goods is to pay freelance
couriers to battle their way along
the motorway. Into this environ-
ment you arrive, with the open-
ended ambition of earning a lot of
money, building up a nice car, and
gaining repute.

56 ZZAP! 64 September 1987

Hello? Is there anybody out there? I hardly expected sackloads of
mail in my first month, but you’ve all had time to put pen to paper
by now. Come on! If you want ‘Manoeuvres’ to be an important
part of ZZAP!, then you've got to add your support. That means
you ! Let’s hear your views on anything and everything to do with
strategy gaming on the Commodore. I get plenty of mail for
‘Frontline Forum’ in Crash - and you wouldn’t want me to think
that Commodore gamers were less interested than Spectrum
strategists, would you?

As from next month, space allowing, I shall be publishing a
small hints and tips ‘sub-column’, and I need your strategies and
solutions. As from this month, you have the chance to vote in a
strategy chart too, so start writing.

.. COMMIE
X BASHING

Dear Philippa,

Congratulations on joining
ZZAP! Sorry about this, but this
letter is one long moan directed
against US Gold. I recently
bought Germany 1985, and
frankly I was disgusted with
what I read on the cover - ‘the
mighty bear of the Eastern Bloc,
the avaricious Soviet Union
strides its way forward to sav-
age the free world, to brutalise
and intimidate its peoples.’ Of
course the game gives you the
opportunity to play the well-spo-
ken, clean-shaven, general all-
round nice guy NATO Supreme
Commander. Succeed, and the
world will once more be nice and
jolly, people will be happy, birds
will sing, the sun will shine . . .
get the idea? Fail, and the bad
guys in the fur hats win (that’s
the Russians of course), the
birds won’t sing, and sun won’t
shine, etc.

US Gold’s Tim Chaney
defended Raid Over Moscow by
saying that ‘nobody really
believes that if they get inside
the Kremlin during a nuclear
war, they’re going to throw a
disc that rebounds off a wall to
knock out robots arming nuclear
weapons.’ But Germany 1985 is,
and I quote, ‘a realistic simula-
tion.’ Does this mean that US
Gold really believe this garbage?

On to the actual game itself,
and the most important ques-
tion is, is it worth it? And the
answer to that one is a resound-
ing no ! I bought the game in a
chain store, and I feel that US
Gold have taken advantage of
the fact that few of these stores
provide the game instructions
before you actually buy the
game. A small disclaimer
printed on the instruction sheet

SOCIAL COMMENT

informs the poor mug who actu-
ally shelled out for the game that
‘this product will not save to cas-
sette. ’ Just what is the point of
producing a cassette version like
this? A save feature in a war-
game is essential ! In demonst-
ration mode the game took four
hours and 26 minutes to com-
plete. Bearing in mind that the
computer thinks much faster
than I do, it would probably take
at least 12 hours for me to finish
the game.

The lack of a cassette save
routine renders the game totally
unplayable and it should never
have been released in this form.

I sent a letter to US Gold (Trans-
atlantic Simulations) over a
month ago, to which they didn’t
even have the decency to reply.
Their attitude seems to be
‘we’ve got your money so what
do we care?’ Don’t get me wrong
- the game concept and
implementation is great, but
couldn’t the disk save routine
have been reprogrammed? This
begs the question — does anyone
at US Gold really care, or are they
just a bunch of slick marketing
men after a quick buck?

Answers on a postcard
please . . .

Gordon Allan, Tain

As I said last month, I’ve no
qualms about wargames as war-
games, but I dislike intensely
the sort of Commie-mutant-
traitor attitude that some of
these American simulations
adopt. Wargames shouldn’t take
sides (not politically anyway),
And US Gold don 't seem to be a
very popular organisation — not
as far as customer relations go
anyway.

Dear Philippa,

In reply to a letter in your first
CRASH Frontline Forum, you
commented that while com-
puter wargames are good for the
solo gamer, two players are bet-
ter off with board games. This is
an issue which I feel should be
thrown open to ZZAP! readers,
and here is my view on the sub-
ject.

I have many excellent
boardgames but my playing of
them decreased after acquiring
a CBM64, and I have hardly
touched them since buying a
disk drive 16 months ago. The
reason is that 95% of my gaming
is solo and the computer pro-
vides me with an opponent.
However, 80% of my social gam-
ing is done with computer
games and not over a board.
Computer games are easier to
set up and can be readily saved
for the next session, be it next
week or next month — instead of
having map and counters laying
about, or both sides having to
laboriously note unit positions
and strengths to set up the
board again. Another advantage
is that there are no disagree-
ments over rule interpretations.
Even in relation to game quality,
most software can stand com-
parison with board games and
the computer’s number-crunch-

ing leaves more time for plan-
ning and enjoying instead of
searching through charts to see
what CRT to use.

The ability of the computer to
recreate the fog of war via hid-
den movement and limited infor-
mation on the enemy, means
that where once my friends and
I played ‘City-Fight’ or ‘Task
Force’ we now play ‘Computer
Ambush’ or ‘Grey Seas, Grey
Skies’ as you no longer have to
give information as to where you
are searching, and the opposing
units can’t be occupying the
same areas without anyone
being aware of it. The social
aspect of confrontation over a
board is gone, but easier gamep-
lay with little or no loss to the
simulation makes up for it.

Jim Harrison, Glasgow

Two-player computer wargam-
ing is something that I person
ally — as you ' re right to point out
- can’t enjoy. Perhaps I’m too
hasty in assuming that most
other computer wargamers feel
the same way. Certainly, I can
see that Commodore disk-based
games compete much more
closely with the boxed wargame
than Spectrum cassette-based
qames - what do others think?

THE NEW ZZAP!
STRATEGY CHART

Here’s your chance to decide the fate of your favourite strategy
games, by voting in the ZZAP! strategy chart. Tell us your fav-
ourite five strategy programs, and at the same time enter a draw
for £20’s worth of software (not necessarily strategic) and a
ZZAP ! T-Shirt. Five runners-up will also receive a T-Shirt, so get
your entry in as quickly as possible.

The following are my five favourite strategy
games in order of choice . . .

Name

Address

Should I win this month’s prize, I would like the following £20’ s
worth of software . . .

T-Shirt size S[]M[]L[]

Completed coupons should be sent to ZZAP!
STRATEGY CHARTS, PO Box 10, Ludlow, Shrop
shire SY8 1DB, to be received no later than Sep-
tember 9th 1987.

ALL ^
TRADE '
PRICES

YOUR MICRO
DESERVES THE BEST. .

When your home or business micro costs several hundreds of
pounds, it deserves the finest repair facilities in Europe (well,
probably!). And the finest prices - £5 off trade rates for a limited
period only. ★ How? At Verran we use our own range of advanced
automatic test equipment (now sold worldwide), backed by
stringent 2-8 hours soak-rack testing. That means speed, ultra-low
prices and, most important, guaranteed reliability. For the first
three months we’ll repair any fault free. For the next three, at half
these quoted prices. ★ It’s the finest service available.

* Currently we handle over 3500 products on average every day.
Providing services for such leading companies as Amstrad pic,
Commodore Business Machines, Sinclair Research, Rank Xerox,
Dixons, Currys, Boots, W H Smiths, John Menzies and many more.

* Join them and take up our special offer now.

Recommended and Approved by

AMSTRAD AIARI COMMODORE

ACORN SINCLAIR

EUROPE'S LEADING

COMPUTER REPAIR CENTRE

...AND UNBEATABLE DISCOUNTS ON ALL COMPONENTS!!!

^ With over £500,000 worth of spares in stock, we
can meet many of your specialised requirements.
We’ve listed a few examples and for anything not
displayed just call us and well quote immediately
inclusive of first class post

Keyboard Membrane

Spectrum
Spectrum Plus
Metal Templates

COMMODORE SPARES

3.00

8.00
3.00

Power Supplies

C64

C16

19.50

15.00

All the above prices include VAT but please enclose
a further £1.50 post and packing on all component
orders.

SPECTRUM SPARES

Z80 CPU
ULA 6C001
Power Supply
ROM

4116 RAMS
ZTX 690
ZTX 213

6510 Processor

12.00

6525 CIA

12.00

2.50

6581 Sid Chip

15.00

7.00

901225 Graphic ROM

10.00

6.50

901226 Basic ROM

10.00

7.00

901227 Kernal ROM

15.00

.75

906114 House Keeper

10.00

.40

6569 - VIC

18.00

.40

4164 RAMS - Memory

1.00

HOW TO CONTACT US

tAt For quotes on computers not listed or on
any component telephone 0276 66266.

(Quoting ZAP/097).

★ To send us your micro for repair, mail it securely
packed, accompanied by cheque, postal order
(made out to Verran Micro Maintenance Limited) or
quote your Access or Barclaycard number. And to
obtain your special discount quote ZAP/097 .

Verran Micro-Maintenance Limited, Unit2H & 2J, Albany Park, Frimley
Road, Camberley, Surrey GU15 2PL. Telephone 0276 66266.

BARBARIAN
(Palace )

S#> j&s i /
i> -frfT Vm / f'fvl

nil ■ t ^11 \ %

'*hI

ymiA

‘Greetings’ says Geir Straume of 2040 Klofta, Norway. ‘How
would you like to play a full screen version of Wonderboy? 9 If you
do, load the game, reset the computer and enter the following

pr * —

ZZAP! 64 September 1 987 59

■ ■ a

■

I VIM- \J-Tt- I )

POKE 3428,174
POKE 3429,2
POKE 3572,32
POKE 3573,167
POKE 3574,2
POKE 679,141
POKE 680,32
POKE 681 ,208
POKE 682,141

, '/ L , | % , - Ji" ir 1 ?' i HI

And if you want unlimited lives, enter:

W . Vi

■

POKE 2676,234
POKE 2677,234
POKE 2678,234

And SYS 2 1 1 2 to restart the game with your selected changes.
By the way, the full screen effect starts when you’ve completed
round one - so go for it.

ENIGMA FORCE
(Beyond)

This ageing sequel to the even
more ageing Shadowfire has just
been re-released on the Best of
Beyond compilation. So, if
you’ve just bought a copy (or
have the original and never got
anywhere), the following solu-
tion from Craig Richmond and
Glen Forrest of Western Australia
might be of interest.

Before you attempt an
escape, explore the base
thoroughly and find all the loca-
tions so you know where to go -
making a map is a pretty good
idea. Finally, the following strat-
egy relies on a very quick start.

Firstly, take control of SYLK and
locate the insectoid queen. When
you have achieved this, your team
will no longer be attacked by the
insectoids. To find her, look
around the area immediately sur-
rounding the ammunition room,
but be careful, there’s a queue of
insectoids waiting to come
through the locked door of the
ammunition room.

When the Queen insectoid has
been located, choose one of the
remaining crew members (prefer-
ably not MAUL the Transporter as
his lack of speed tends to cause
problems). Use this character to
get the RED KEY CARD which is
found two rooms due south from
the starting point. Get this key, and
return to your starting location,
then head left and keep going

along this corridor until you find a
locked door. Activate the card
now.

Take control of the remaining
character, either ZARK or 'SEV-
RINA, and make your way straight
to the room where the enemies are
produced - don’t forget to take all
the power capsules and ammuni-
tion you can find on the way, and
don’t stop to fight either (and make
sure you’re wrapped nice and
warm with a woolly scarf). When
you get there, wait on the far left qf
the room, inside the door (a
character can’t be shot while in
this position). A GREEN KEY
CARD is located nearby - this
should be collected when there
are no reptiloids in the room.

If you wait in the room long
enough the reptiloids won’t be
able to get out, which means that
there’s a continual build-up of the
number of insectoids and a
decrease in the number of
reptiloids. The best thing to do is
keep stepping in and out of the
room and activating a power cap-
sule if energy gets low. After a
while, there’s a backlog of insec-
toids waiting to get into the room
you are in. This is when you leave
the room - whether you have the
green key or not.

The next task to find GENERAL
ZOFF and kill him. He’s usually
near to your current location.
When you have killed him, take the
PURPLE KEY CARD that’s left
behind.

Go back to the room that you’d
been waiting in before, and help
kill any remaining reptiloids. Col-
lect the GREEN KEY CARD if you

do not already have it and leave
through the south door. Activate
the GREEN KEY CARD, and go
through the door. Activate the
PURPLE KEY CARD that you got
from GENERAL ZOFF to unlock
the spaceship door.

Take all other characters to the
room leading to the spaceship and
then take them through the door.

Say ‘thank goodness for that,
I’ve finished it’ and look at the
pretty picture on the screen to your
heart’s content.

SMHI

■ mM

iWili

Sllll

BOOK WORLD

45 rooms

: : v

MOONBASE HQ

18 rooms

Teleport

■ :

• ' -V

Miimmmy.

Teleport

sss

ivfsW

Teleport

: ;-v>

Teleport

rooms

TOOfHil

rooms

■■

■SHM

Teleport

SAFARI

44 rooms

Teleport

•Teleport

Teleport

MOONBASE

14 rooms

/Xv!J

fill llll

HEAD OVER HEELS (Ocean)

This is such a playable and rewarding game, unlimited lives
almost seem an insult. Still, if you’re in need of a helping hand,
just type the following Zoltan Kelemen listing and RUN it to have
unlimited Heads and Heels at your disposal.

I, BALL (Firebird)

Yeti and Woody from Aylesbury, Bucks are a couple of com-
pletely looney hackers who’ve decided to send in their POKEs
for this strange combination of ballplay, racing and shooting.
First of all, load the game so that you can enter any of the
following: POKE 21916,234 (to stop the timer ticking down),
POKE 20669,234: POKE 20670,234 (for infinite balls), POKE
1 81 33,255 (for big balls), or POKE 1 8729,234:1 8730,234 (for ‘im-
possibair mode!!??).

Then enter the following to activate 'strange and freaky’ fea-
tures throughout the game . . .

r#7pOKE 28620,07 * 1

I • i POKE 28621 ,15 1 1

• ! POKE 28622,01 ,

• i POKE 28623,20 » 1

I POKE 28624,15 j I

I POKE 28625,09 »• 1

POKE 28626,04 ,•

POKE 28627 ,00J#J

After you’ve made your changes you can restart the game by
typing SYS 27933. Don’t use all of the cheats at the same time
as the poor old Commodore can’t cope with all the changes at
once.

DEEPER DUNGEONS
(US Gold)

Jim Biackler has also devised an unlimited energy listing for
those who want to explore the depths of the Deeper Dungeons.
Simply insert the tape into the Commodore, type in the follow-
ing listing, RUN it and press play to load the game with tireless
characters.

,94 ' ,42/ ,36 ' ,96 >

J fcOTT-

~ \

i y* s:

O* t-
§

t . i

thijra

-5 ■ /

Sir * J

•*9 <s, r V

imm

r.oMr? merlin

GAUNTLET (US Gold)

Pay attention all you Wizards, Elves, Valkyries and Warriors -
are the dungeon’s denizens giving you grief? Is your energy
running out before you can get anywhere? Fear no more -
Wizard-in-Chief, Jim Biackler has concocted a special listing
which, when typed in and RUN before loading, gives unlimited
energy to each player.

Ii'628« R pOKE 7 , 6 0 T 4°“ :ReADZ:POKEA ' 2 'NE)<TiSYS|

'! re. 20™ U2 ' H m ' U2 ' ,!S - ,98 ' ’42. ,ao. 196, ij

INTERNATIONAL
BASKETBALL (Commodore)

What about this one! Get this classic sports simulation out of
the cupboard, blow the dust off it and sling it into your com-
puter. Type LOAD and press play on tape. When the READY
prompt appears, type . . .

POKE 1 01 1 ,248:POKE 1 01 2,252:RUN

To load the next bit. When the computer resets, enter . . .

POKE 381 70,0:SYS 32384 (RETURN)

For a faster and infinitely more playable game! Pretty neat eh?

LEVIATHAN
(English Software)

Unlimited lives for this pretty, but virtually unplayable diagon-
ally scrolling shoot ’em up are certainly welcome - so even
more thanks to Jim Biackler for sending in this listing. Simply
type in the listing and RUN it to load the program with billions
and billions of spaceships.

11 F °RA=6_ 08 TO 61 6:READZ:POKE a

:POKE

SPACE DOUBT (CRL)

For some unknown reason we never got round to reviewing this
strange little arcade adventure. Oh well, one of life’s little mys-
teries I suppose. If you happened to have bought the program
on spec and require unlimited lives for it, just type in and RUN
the following Jim Biackler listing.

TERRA COGNITA ■■■HR
(Code Masters!

|WIIW IVICIilWl if

—

v ■ as,

If you want infinite lives for this pretty naff vertically scrolling

shoot ’em up, simply put the tape into the C2N and type POKE
43,255:LOAD (RETURN) to load the first part. When the com-
puter resets, enter . . .

POKE 43,1 (RETURN)

85 POKE 29253,243 (RETURN)

RUN (RETURN)

. to load the rest of the game with with infinite lives. Once

_ _ _ — ^ ~ - , _

• *

urnm

again many thanks to Lancaster’s Jim Biackler.

■

ALLEYKAT (Hewson)

Who wants to be a billionaire? If only this POKE would work on
my bank balance - it gives unlimited money! However, it does
work on any budding Alleykatter’s, and therefore allows any
race to be entered from the start. Just type in the listing and
RUN it to enter the world of the mega-rich. Once again thanks
to Jim Biackler.

,10 FOR A= 65280 TO 65321 :READ Z.POKE

:i^S”2S.141.43, 22 5.-

IIS DATA 165 9 141, 11, 17, 141, 17, 17, 169, 0, 141,

S i 40 ? DATA 1 69^ 240, 141, 248, 15, 169, 34, 141, 249,
15, 76, 208, 207

OLL^T PACK (Bug Sb/lf]

Here are a couple of unlimited lives POKEs forthis back to back
pair of Bug Byte budget blasters, again courtesy of the industri-
ous Jim Blackler,

OUOl

Insert the relevant cassette into the clatac order, type in the
f ollowing line arid press play on tape , , ,

SYS 628Q6:POKE 1001,248:POKE 1002,252 (RE-
TURN)

When the computer resets, type , . ,

POKE 52868, 248:POKE 52869, 252:SYS 52805 (RE-
TURN)

And when the computer resets again, type . , ,

POKE 9701 ,1 73:SYS 9984 (RETURN)

, , , to load and run the rest of the game with unlimited lives,
OUO 31

Insert relevant cassette into the data cord er, type in the follow-
ing line and press play on tape,

SYS 62806: POKE 1®0 1,248: POKE 1002,252 (RE-
TURN)

When the computer resets, type . , ,

POKE 52880, 248:POKE 52881 ,252:SYS 53023 (RE-
TURN)

And when the computer resets again, type , , ,

POKE 22640,1 73:POKE 22704,1 73:POKE

23568,1 73:SYS 23296 (RETURN)

To load and run the rest of the game with unlimited lives.

ROGUE TROOPER (Piranha)

Good old Joe 90 (surely not the puppet) is here to help this
2000AD character bring the traitor to justice. Load the program,
start a game and reset the computer so that you can enter the
following POKEs . .

POKE 17429,234
POKE 17430,234
POKE 17431 ,234

for infinite energy, and . . .

POKE 21 603,234
POKE 21 604,234
POKE 21 605,234

for infinite ammo. When you’ve typed in the energy and/or
ammo POKEs, enter the following line . . .

FORA=8240TO8258:POKE A, 234:NEXT (RETURN),

Restart the program by typing SYS 81 95

RAT TRAP (Streetwise)

If you’re having trouble kicking those rotten Cat Men off our
lovely planet, try out this Mick Mills and Al listing - the binary
equivalent of catnip. Simply type and RUN the listing and go and
kick ass!

o 4077 TO 4106:READ A'.POKE

? A .C=C + A r N E XT.:»F C=3666 THEN SYS 4077
4 PRINT “ERROR IN DATA!! 168 32 , 186, 255,

NEMESIS THE WARLOCK
(Martech)

Hackin ’ an ’ slayin ’ those evil T erminator fanatics is made all the
more enjoyable when Nemesis has unlimited energy, fireballs
and ammo! Now you can spit ’n’ blast to your heart’s content
(or at least until the tea’s ready). Don’t forget though, that
Nemesis cannot access his sword if he has unlimited bullets,
so choose when prompted - hack or blast, so to speak. Just
type in the listing, RUN it and follow the on-screen instructions.
More thanks to Mick Mills and Al.

l 10 L=49152

'! 20 FOR X=1 TO 14:T=0

► '30 FOR Y=1 TO 8
40 READ A:POKE L,A

> J 50 L=L+1:T=T+A
»i 60 NEXT

i J 70 READ C:IF T=C THEN 90

90 NEXT 1 ERR0R ' N LINE ”‘ 10+ 90:END

94 GOSUB 300

95 RR,NT“SYS 49152 TO LOAD AND RUN”

<*> DATA 56,' 76, k W S, Tm '»’Si 928

V” data 'S'l k'm S S; ,02e

Qnn ATA32,181,2,169 >°> 141 17 143 685

;; 310 .PR,NT“DO YOU WANT INFINITE AMMO (Y/ J!
320 GET A$:IFA$<>“Y”AND A$<^“W”tucm « I*

330 IF A$=‘‘N”THEN POKE 4922?? ™ EN 320 I*

i 340 PRINT A$:RETURN ’ i •

METROCROSS (US Gold)

As I’m typing this, Glenys (who’s helping me test the listings) is
whizzing through level after level with the help of unlimited
time! If you fancy doing the same, simply type in the listing and
RUN it. Thanks to Zoltan Kelemen of Tyreso, Sweden.

By the way, I’ve just been informed that the game ends after
completion of level 24, with no congratulatory screen. What a
waste of time!

§•*11

A \

^ #PS . ~ ~ "

— — — — — — ■■■— — ■■■■Mi ■ ■— — — V « mm *’’■“ 1

— '■ I

■

••

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vs.

THELASTNINJA (System 3)

LEVEL SIX

ft
?■

£ Thanks to all 28 of you who’ve
sent In tips for this brilliant
oriental arcade adventure -
they’ve all been combined to
produce the following complete
(ish) solution.

A lot of you have been having
problems getting through The
Last Ninja , and have rang the
ZZAP! offices for help. Please

ply access the smoke bomb and
lob it in the dragon’s general direc-
tion. When the scaly blowtorch
slumps to the floor, it can be safely
passed.

LEVEL TWO

Firstly collect the claw at the lion’s
foot which is used to climb the cliff
- hold nothing but the claw and

hurts his hand and dies. When the
Ninja comes to a large yellow
statue, hold nothing but the talis- The final level is the best! First, find

the telescope and look through it
for a very pretty effect, then get
back to the action. Collect the

man and pray.

LEVEL FOUR

There are two items on this level -
the rope, which is needed to climb
the step ladder out, and an apple.
It is possible to pass the spider,
but it’s best to to use the map to
find an alternate route. Use the

don’t - write in if you require " noio notning but the claw anc

help, and I’ll see what I can do. RV^.^ 11 ^ 3 a 9 a ' ns t the ^ ace

Watch out for the crevasses - it

help, and I’ll see what I can do.
Much as we’d like to, I’m afraid
we just haven’t the time to
spend all day helping people out
over the phone.

LEVEL ONE

The most important thing is to col-
'*/ lect all of the objects and weapons
- a sword, numchukas, smoke
bomb, shuriken, pouch, key and
apple are the objects to look out
for.

When all the items have been

takes a bit of practice to jump
these safely.

When you reach the wall, hold
only the claw and walk backwards
until the black-swathed hero clam-
bers down like a monkey. Next,
find and collect the glove and staff.
To pass the fire-breathing statue
at the end of the level, use the Ninja
magic found near the glove. When
the Ninja flashes, it’s safe to go
past.

LEVEL THREE

Li collected, it’s time to put the Dra-

9° n to sleep - that’s the large Get the talisman from around the
\\>y lizard who frazzles the poor Ninja statue’s neck and find and collect
a\' every time he tries to go past. To the rose - but don’t forget to use
put paid to his pyromaniacy, sim- the glove, otherwise the Ninja

sleeping potion and find the room
with many vases. Hold the rose
and push against the final vase to
open up a secret door.

Continue down the passageway
until the giant dog is encountered.

staff (it has a longer reach) to hit f"* 0101 . the R?u 0n ’ .. m P ve

the Skeletons. When the ladder is the dog and throw it when

located, stand next to the lower- Jt attacks. A successful hit sees the
most rungs and use the rope to collapse to the ground. If the
escape bomb misses, beat a hasty retreat,

H ‘ re-enter the room and try again.

■ Cl/pi pii/e The next hazard is the large

r,¥t statue with the bow and arrow. T o

Collect the apple and enter the pass safely, use the magic blood
palace using the key. Carry on found on the floor (it looks like two
walking through the palace until misplaced pixels.)
the large nail-wielding statue is Continue until you meet the
found. Hold nothing and edge up heavily armed Shogun. Use the
against it. Keep moving right and staff, enter the room, bash the
forwards (very slowly) until the guard once and exit. Keep oh
Ninja passes it. Don’t casually doing this until he lies dead - the
stroll past, as the statue will kill Ninja glows and is transported to a
you. The entrance to the stairway mystery location where lieth the
is protected by a disintegration scrolls. Jump onto the central m
spell, so a little Ninja magic has to square in the centre of the room, ^
be collected from a nearby boiling use the pouch and pick up the .» J
pot. When the last Ninja turns scrolls. Watch the disappointing
green, he can enter the stairway ending screen, and switch off the
to . . . computer . . . f y

f '

—

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LEVEL 1

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64 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

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LEVEL 2

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LEVEL 3

EST

ZZAP! 64 September 1 987 65

1 .

most

GUNSTAR (Firebird)

/ • ' 10L=529:
/ • l 20 FOR x=
1 1 30 FOR y =
/• i READ a

• I ® 0l =L1:T=
/ # i 60 NEXT

/ • ' 1° R£AD C:l

•30 PRINT -B

/ 90 NEXT

/ *' 95 PRINT'S)
*i ’00 DATA 16'
I •» 1 10 DATA 24}

• i 1 20 data 159

• l 130 DATA 192

• I UO DATA 210

• 1 15 0DATA0 ic

’60 DATA I69
n 170 data 164

.;'??“w 32 , 2 y

1 ^90 data 141 7

>200 DATA 169o

Whacky pseudonyms seem to be the ‘ in’ thing this month - here
are a couple of POKES from Droid of the Danish Circle. These
give unlimited boredom - sorry, I mean lives. Load the game as
normal, reset the computer and enter the following two

1 TO 11; T

1 TO 8

P °KE L,A
: T+a

POKE A, 234:NEXT (RETURN) ]•
POKE A,234:NEXT (RETURN) l •

FOR A= 8367 TO 8372:
FOR A= 8387 TO 8388

X '10+90:END

O LOAD AND R UN :

48 32 J 44 ’ 32 ’ 2C
1 60 f;^' 247 - 169

'69, 18, 133 1g .
'69,19 110 J* 4, 16

?1 ,’: 98 ' 247, 866

255 3o 9 ; 4 ’ U1 '31
"6,32,213,0 56 1

2 ’3. 255, 169, 169 1
4 °, 76, qc

p OR a= 4
^EXT.SYS ft
)ATA 169, 41

76,0,224

Unlimited lives for this disappointing arcade conversion are ui

»°IS!i a il^rJL ake or L ea .r e ’ em - Just tyP* th e listing, RUh
it and give those aliens hell. Once again thanks to Zoltan Kele
men.

3 FOR 1=512

I a C = C+A'-NEXT I

4 FOR 1=820

il A:C=C+A:NEXTI

i 5 pR|NT“ ERROR W
',6 DATA 198, 157,
,'32 189,255,32,2

1 7 DATA 3, 96, 78, E

825.BEAD

3576 THEN SYS 51 2

162 1, 168,32, 18<
ii16 9,196,141,199
76,207,3

MARBLE MADNESS
(Ariolasoft)

I was really disappointed with the 64 conversion of Marble Mad-
ness - the original arcade game is such a classic. If you’d like
to play it again, but this time skip levels and save yourself a bit

of time, just follow the instructions from Tim and Ian Fraser of
Ruislip, Middx.

Type LOAD (NOT SHIFT/RUNSTOP). When the READY prompt
appears, type POKE 1011,248:POKE 1012,252:RUN to load the
oSrtaP 0911 ? 1, When the cursor appears again, type POKE

491 52 to s^t endm0 00 the * eVe * y ° U W ' Sh t0 St3rt 0n, anc *

URIDIUM PLUS (Hewson)

This follow-up to Uridium is areat aithrmnh o ii»ic

This follow-up to Uridium is great, although a little on the
difficult side. If you ye never seen the later levels, try out this
f u xc e .lent unlimited lives listing to make your sight-seeing tour
that little bit easier. All you have to do is type in and RUN this

Jim Blackler listing.

HADES NEBULA (Nexus)

r~*\ » _ I m a ■ a a a - ■ . A ■

, o?wr: .u T ■ ™‘F nm ^racKing service has mustered up
* 9'Y es2 “ l,ves at the start of a game - useful to say
p h niip a oov J Q U ?U 0a x the P r °gram, reset the computer and enter
1°^ 2279 ’ 255 - To restart, enter SYS2198. The screen is all
mucked up at first, so press F7 to get back to the title screen,
then press the fire button to restart properly.

'i f you’ 1 ;® one , of those who haven’t got a reset switch, use
Zo tan i Kelemen s easy-to-enter listing instead. Type and RUN it
to load the program with unlimited lives.

(

j i

Hat, Hat it's where it's at, it's trendier than a cat. Hat .

^S^^PP^ riatebox,es) State Size SUM
Form in capitals please. __.pi T-shirt(s) at £4.50ea

□ Please send me ’ g wea tshirt{s) att®..

□ Please send me 77&p j Qap(s) at £3.95 each

□ Please send me 7ZAP! Binder(s) at £4.50 ea

Postcode

I -nrlose £ • • • • made payable to

postal otd«sooly. I*

■COMPLETE ZZAP1 OFFER', I
SHROPSHIRE SY8 1DB

LUDLOW

B, NDErs

hve/le , !I der h °l

ZZAP! htldfn 0 '

$*<* by small
Plastic stranJr

f hel° fa ?c^

GARY LIDDON'S TEC*

T arby (for it is he): Our next guest is a very talented
and funnyyoung man who I’m sure you’ll know very
well. Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands
together to give a very warm welcome your friend
and mine, yes it’s Gary Liddon and his funny stories
from the technical world. Take it away Gaz!

Gaz: Thanks Tarby, it’s nice to be in town with
you too (winks a knowing wink). Oh dear, oh dear,
oh dear, what a week I’ve had this week, gor
blimey. My wife, oh dear. My wife’s so fat that she
needs to go on a diet! (Crowd go wild with laughs)
Oh dear, my wife, she’s so fat that ... oh dear,
she’s soooo fat that I make fun of her! (Geriatrics
go berserk with giggles) My wife is sooooooooo
hugely enormously grossly and unfeasibly fat that
she doesn’t exist at all! (the world goes mad with
hilarity and chuckles, everyone is happy and there
is no more war)

Did that work? Do newly created images now dance
wildly across your imagination? Do Liddon, Tarby and
the Audience really exist or has the obvious now
become painfully apparent? Has self reference shat-
tered the rapport we may have had and forced you into
the realisation that symbol-splattered paper is all there
everwas. I doubt it, anything created by this text was
created by you and isn ’t going to be destroyed by
pointing out the trick that did it. It’s your interpretation
of these characters that makes worlds, all the writer
does is light a fuse. Maybeyou should be paid £2,000
a page instead of me.

CARRY ON

INTERRUPTING

Welcome again to yet another non-stop knockabout farce of fun To kick
of here’s an -■

interesting letter from Billy Irving complaining that there isn’t
enough Football on television . . .

Biu-i ipviNGr esq,
\23£C0TC4l BROTH A\fc,
V\KG(GtisToW>4,

3ocKViu£,

NzbqdK TH,

' Kuzomb.

Congratulations on a brilliant column. The border trick was
areat I have been programming in machine code for ^bout a
vear with mixed success. One thing I find very difficult to < do is

smooth scrollinq, especially only a part of the screen. I realise

this involves raster interrupts which I am just beginning to g
he hanqofso could you please tell me howto scroll a part of
the screen while leaving the rest static. Anyway keep up the

good workTs the best column in ZZAP! (apart from Man-

oeuvres). Yours Hopefully

Billy Irving, Arbroath

t s seems pretty obvious to me from that last line, that Billy is Philippa’s
little brother - still, on with the show. Because all of the stuff that I was
sent to review this month was useless rubbish, I’m using this month’s col-
umn to bring you a guide to raster interrupts on the C64. So all the people
who know how to do raster interrupts, and all the people who’re not
interested in machine code can go and read the Terminal Man or play
spot the margin characters’ or something ...

Imagine a huge steam train thun-
dering through the American Mid-
West at a million miles an hour.
This train represents the Commo-
dore 6510 executing machine
code at a million cycles a second,
pretty neat eh? So this train is
going very fast when all of a sud-
den Shirley Temple leaps out in
front of the speeding train and
says ‘STOP’. Sweet little Shirley,
butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth,
the train can’t run her down so it
stops. Shirls belts out ‘On The
Good Ship Lollipop’, hops off the
tracks and the train continues in its
mega speed journey.

Clever writing no. Pertinent
metaphor yes. Shirley’s role in this
tense drama is allegorical to a
6510 interrupt. When the interrupt
line is pulled low (Shirley shouting
‘STOP’) the 6510 stops its execu-
tion and jumps off to execute a
totally different bit of code pointed
to by the INTERRUPT VECTORS
(That’s where our Shirl skips onto
the tracks and croons OTGSL, the
song singing representing the
separate subroutine). Having
finished, the processor resumes
the task it was previously execut-
ing.

’Well’, you may think, ‘what’s
the point of that since it’s just like
doing a normal subroutine with a
JSR and an RTS? ’ It is just like that,
but what decides when the sub-
routine is to be executed is not a
JSR in your code but an outside
pulse on the 651 0’s interrupt line.
These pulses can come from all
number of sources, with the VIC
chip raster register probably being
probably the most useful
generator. With some jiggery pok-
ery, VIC can be convinced to inter-
rupt when the electron gun gets to

a certain point of the screen. Have
a look at FIG 1 , it shows where the
interrupts occur on the test prog-
ram supplied. So all those games
that have the top half of the screen
scrolling and the bottom half of the
screen stationary are using raster
interrupts. After modifying the
scroll registers at the top of the
screen, the computer generates a
raster interrupt when the TV’s
electron gun is half way down the
screen which executes a program
which zeros the scroll registers.
The rest of the screen is then sta-
tionary - easy peasy!

So here’s the nitty gritty. The
listing supplied (FIG 2) causes two
raster interrupts to occur across
the screen and does a scrolling
message to boot. This is written to
work with the Laser Genius/
Machine Lightning assembler, but
the source is quite clean so there
shouldn’t be any problems con-
verting to other assemblers. If you
don’t have an assembler . . . then
you should really have one, writing
machine code in data statements
is like skiing without posey
sunglasses.

The first few equates are con-
stants, speed is the scrolling mes-
sage speed in pixels per frame,
IRQ the 651 0’s interrupt vector.

IV1 and IV2 are the positions on the
screen where the interrupts are to
happen, and START is just there
because that’s the way I always
start my source listings.

At BEGIN we JSR VAR to init
scrolling messages variables. All
VAR does is set the scrolling mes-
sage pointer to the start of the
message, so when the message
starts it doesn’t scroll random

FIG 1

do Scroll

SCROUjNGj

TEXT

68 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

NICAL BIT IN THE MIDDLE

SPEED

SiSBM

IRQ =$EFFE

START =S5000
# =ST ART

be01B j«w*

kloof J® 5 kloop

VAF

„ „ TS the message poimtbr To pout At

£ ST w pSagb.

LDA #>MESS;

STA MP+2
RTS

INT

s £S . srs — 1 ^

JSR SETIRQ; HANDLER.

LDA #$35;

STA $01;

FIG 2

LDA #i;

STA $D01A
LDA #$FF;
STA $D019;
LDA #ivi;
STA $D012;
LDA $D0H;

and #$?F;

STA SD011

LDA #0;

STA $DC0E;
LDA #$?F
STA $DC0D
LDA $DC0D
CD I
RTS

get rip OF the kerhal ato basic
suable raster irterrhpts

clear Vic IHTERRUPT REQUEST REdSTBR

, Easier positio. amd tog store that

IV1 is THE SCREES PASTE
15 $D012.

.Tiur SYSTEM GENERATING ITS OWE

SbIi?h°f S la"w scarrirg irterrhpts

memory into view. INT sets up ras-
ter interrupts to happen, and
MLOOP JMP MLOOP just sits
there doing diddly squat until inter-
rupted by our little routine. Goto
INT. You’ll see where it all happens
and here’s how it happens instruc-
tion by instruction.

SEI disables interrupts so that
when we’re messing about setting
up the interrupts to happen,
another interrupt doesn’t happen
and mess everything up. God, I’m
so sick of the word INTERRUPT
already and I’m only half way
through! The next two commands
put the high and lo byte of the new
interrupt routine into the X and Y
registers for the routine SETIRQ
which changes the interrupt vector
to point at the routine held in X and
Y. Normally there’s Rom at this
part of memory and that points to
the Kernal’s own interrupt vector,
so to get rid of that the next two
statements bank out the Kernal by
altering location 1 . Basic is also
banked out, so you can use $A000
to $BFFF without any qualms.

Now we start to talk to the VIC
chip and tell him what the score is.
First thing to do is to enable raster
interrupts, and that’s done by set-
ting bit zero of $D01 A (in other
words just bung a one in). $D01 9 is
the register that gets set when an
interrupt has happened so that has
to be cleared by bunging an $FF in
there, yes I know bunging a zero in
would be much more logical, but
that’s the way it is. Okay, so now
the computer is getting an idea
what we want it to do so now we’d
bettertell it when to do it. $D01 2 is
the raster register, and the number
stored there determines where on

the screen the interrupt will hap-
pen. Since there are 351 raster
lines on the screen, one byte is not
enough to encompass them all, so
Bit 7 of $D01 1 is the raster register
hi bit. Since I want the interrupts to
happen at the top of the screen, Bit
7 needs clearing - which is exactly
what that AND #$7F does.

The next few lines before the CLI
disables BASICS interrupts, they
normally occur every 060th of a
second and scan the keyboard.
Since the keyscanning is disabled
if you need to poll any keys, then
I’m afraid you’ll have to write your
own keyscanner. CLI re-enables
interrupts and RTS RTS’s. Well all
that rubbish leaves the machine
heavily pregnant with interrupt-
ness, so we’d better have a look at
the routine that’ll be executed
when the sprog is dropped.

It’s called II , and as with all
Interrupt routines the first thing it
does is save any registers it’s
going to change for retrieval
before it returns. If you ’re wonder-
ing about what happens to the
processor status byte then won-
der no more, the 6510 automati-
cally saves it along with the return
address. To stop the raster inter-
rupt happening again and again
you have to set Bit 1 of$D019just
so VIC knows you’ve had it (snig-
ger snigger). As there’s two differ-
ent interrupts to happen across
the screen, we need to set up the
next one which happens at IV2 . So
bung that value in $D012 and
change the IRQ vector with
SETIRQ to point at routine 12. The
next few lines handle the scrolling
message and aren’t very interest-
ing at all. From AS down is where
the registers are returned to their

’cnhfT oops a^n-i

STA AS+1
STX XS+1
STY YS+1

LDA #1;
STA $D019;

LDA #IV2;
STA $D012;

LDX #< 12;
LDY #> 12
JSR SETIRQ

THE scrolling message IT hasdles

SAVE ALL THE REGISTERS THAT I HBBD TO USE

mFESS "STf becmse #>0 ™»

AND MAKE SURE IT GOES TO ROUTINE 12

LDA #0;

™ MS SCR0LU '° “

IT ’ S S *LF MODIFIED.

ELSE sSkbS * LM *°- S °“™ IT'S SOMBTHIRG

YUP

III I? Pi 10 YUP IF IT ' S ok ay

5ta Si, GET RID 0F RUBBISH bits

« SI. " ^roTkT ™

9T4 CHANGE XFINE VALUE INTO SOMETHING

2 £& SISKe r 6 “» S ™ E "

SEC

SBC SM+1
STA SM+1

LDA #0;
LDX #0;
LDY #0;
RTI;

RESTORE REGISTERS

AND RETRUN TO THE FOREGROUND PROGRAM

tvtkfRUPT ROUTINE AND IT STOPS THE
SM.W’St EHOM SCROLL I MG.

STA AS2+H
STX XS2+1
STY YS2+1

LDA #1;

STA $D019

LDA #IV1;
STA $D012

LDX #<H;
LDY #>n;
JSR SETIRQ

LDA #$C0;
STA $D016;

LDA #0;
LDY #0;
LDX #0;
RTI;

SHE ALL THE EBLBVAMT REGS

SAY CHEERS TO VIC FOR THE IMTSRRWT
AMD SET HIM HP TO GEMERATE AMOTHER AT IV1
THAT'LL EXECUTE THE ROUT IRE II

THIS STOPS THE BOTTOM BIT OF THE SCRBEM
PLAYING MR WOBBLY
RESTORE THE REGISTERS

AND RETURN from interrupt

TT , nY#0 . SCROLL THE LINE BY A CHAR

SCROLL LDY #0,

SCLP

UU i. ^ v *

TDA $401. Yi VITH TB ° E 1 ^

STA $400, Y; STRUCTURE

I NY

CPY #40
BNE SCLP

LDA SABCD; GET END THEN

[I Isi; G^rnf p^cSrIrS^he MESSAGE

RTS

, BQ SETIRQ POUTS THE IRQ VECTORS TO ROUTIMB
SETIRQ STX mLI) X AMD T.

RTS

MESS

RTo

BYTE " I AM SO BRILL AND YOU ARE ALL SWILL"

original values and then the RTI
instruction Returns from InTerrupt,
back into the foreground MLOOP
JMP MLOOP. 12 is executed at
raster position I V2 and zeros the X

fine register ($D016 bits 0-2) so
that the bottom of the screen
doesn’t wobble about. 12 points
the next raster interrupt to happen
at I VI and to execute II .

Phew! A bit of a mouthful all that, but it is worth learning the ‘ ins and
outs’ of raster splitting, because mastering these opens the doors
to all forms of binary belly-laughs. Anyway, I hope that’s been helpful
to you - see you next month, and watch out for Rudolph.

ZZAP! 64 September! 987 69

F irst heralded by Ariolasoft during the A range of 1 2 titles has been launched with

summer of 1 986. The Sega Master Sys- the machine, coming in three formats: credit
tern was displayed prominently at last card sized Sega Cards, the more standard
year's PCW show. Then . . . nothing. Mega Cartridges, and the Two Mega Car-

Rumours of 'perfect, arcade conversions’ fridges, available at 214.95. £19.95 and xon 3D and World War 3D have already been

crossed the Atlantic, but Anolasoft seemed to £24.95 respectively. Older games, such as announced). Favourable reports have already

have no plans to distribute the machine in the Hang-On and My Hero are available on Sega preceeded the game- enhancing goggles -

U K. Now Mastertronic have taken over the dis- Cards. Choplifter and Fantasy Zone come on we'll be looking at them when they appear,

tribution rights, and at long last the Sega sys- the Mega Cartridge format and the newer Five games a month are scheduled to

tern is readily available - complete with a copy arcade conversions, like Space Harrier and appear between now and Christmas, with

of Hang-On. and costing £99.95 Out Run . will be available as Two Mega Car- Enduro Racer and Out Run already slated for

The console itself is lightweight, with two fridges. release. New peripherals have also been

cartridge ports, one in the top and the other in Also available at £44.95 is the Sega Light promised, but Mastertronic are keeping

the front. Pause and reset buttons are Phaser, a light gun which comes with details of these very close to their chest,

mounted on the sloping front panel and two Marksman Shooting Trap Shooting Mega There's plenty of activity in the dedicated

standard joystick ports are located in a centra! Cartridge. Further light gun compatible games console market at the moment, and the prod-

position on the underside. The two controllers are to be released later in the year, uct quality is sure to increase as both the Sega

supplied are similar to the Nintendo joycards, Revolutionary' 3D Glasses are to be a further and the Nintendo strugglefor a higher share of

although the Sega control pads have tiny joys- addition to the system in October. These LCD the market. We’ll be covering new games and

tick shafts which are screwed into the centre shuttered specs will be linked directly to the peripherals as they appear,

of the rocker switches if required. Independent Sega console and will operate in conjunction

start and fire buttons are mounted to the right with specially designed games (two titles. Zax-

of the switches.

4 s mpie. but coloudui honzonta ly-scroJl ng
Nemesis sty le snoot 'em jp E\: r a weapons
see co : ecteca r c usecone at a : me. w ith the
ejects c r iy lasting tempcrar . .

70 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

pome; «

AEJH

iup

1 9060 «

Commando goes oriental in the vertical 1 },
diagonally scroll ng shoot 'em up. The going is
tough, but Terns dropped b) dead enemies
car be picked up arc usee to good effect. On
screen information is lacking, but the action is
very involved.

mmmM’ mastkk sv^KM/1-o^riu.sr

iSTER SYSTEM

T he fact that most computer owners use
their machines simply as games con-
soles would suggest that a market exists
for a dedicated machine offering full screen
arcade-style graphics, ‘realistic’ sound and
the end to long loading times. However, as
with the Nintendo console, the Sega’s
software is a great let-down. The full-screen
graphics are generally superb, marred only by
the occasionally flickering sprites. The sound
too has potential, but the lack of variation and
often grating effects tend to repel the player
rather than enhance the gameplay. Once again
I’m left slightly disappointed. The hardware
has great possibilities, but the five supplied
games were uninspired and at worst irritating
- stick with your Commodore until the
software fully realises its potential.

CIARAN BRENNAN

A number of different factors combine to
make this a very impressive piece of
hardware. Hang-On is one of the best
racing games around, and Choplifter and Fan-
tasy Zone are simply superb. The graphics and
sound have great potential, but I would have
liked to hear a little more than the standard
white noise effects used in the five games we
tested. However, the question burning in the
minds of most potential console buyers must
be: ‘which one should I buy - Sega or Nin-
tendo? ’ This is a difficult question to answer -
it really depends on what sort of games you
want to play! The Sega has a range of impres-
sive and well-known arcade games while the
Nintendo’s tend to be more obscure, with the
emphasis on the ‘cute’ - but they are
nevertheless addictive and challenging. The
Nintendo has the superb Super Mario Bros
and a huge range of Japanese titles behind it,
whereas the Sega boasts standard joystick
ports as well as Out Run, Space Harrier and
Endure Racer to look forward to. The choice is
yours - but think hard and long.

JULIAN RIGNALL

S ega’s long-awaited Master System is a
very smart package. The first thing that
strikes you are the game packs them-
selves. Along with the fairly standard car-
tridges are the tiny credit cards that slot in the
front - handy if you want to take games to a
friend’s house. I was, however, disappointed
to find that although the machine supports
standard joysticks, they aren’t suitable for the
majority of games and you are left with no
option but to use the control pads - an art that
I find terribly difficult to master. The games
supplied are also on the unimpressive side,
especially Hang On which is not, as previously
suggested, an exact copy of the arcade ver-
sion. I also noticed a surprising amount of
sprite flicker, something which did not expect
from such a supposed wonder machine. Cur-
rent software aside, it’s still possible to see the
system’s potential. There is an untapped abil-
ity to utilise huge amounts of colours and
sprites, and I wait in anticipation for the 3-D
glasses and games which may well mark a new
era in computer gaming.

STEVE JARRATT

COURSE
LEF T A

Rip around some of the World's most famous
race courses, using > our tt innings to buy new
pads and increase y our chances. There 's a 1 so
a track designer to add that extra degree of
lastab/litx .

JS A fk § 0*** Ik |

iANb-UN

The classic motorcy cle racing game tv h ch
comes with the system. Visually it's very simi-
lar to the arcade original, but the road -ay out is
different and the bike has three gears 1 P ctured
here is le\ el four - the Night C/ft .

An evil bidC'" of punks have k o rappee vcu r
girlfriend , arc it’s up to you to rescue ner.
Kung-Fu Master action ensues at the way n
this fighting arcade ad\ endure tv h some-
how manages to remain ‘cute ’. Here, the hen
is about to confront the gang eader Median,
for a fmai dead 1 1 show dew n.

World Grand ITix

cowmoLfW)

ZZAP! 64 September 1 987 7 1

Originally, Paul Norris and Rupert Bowater formed half of the Electric Pen-
cil Company, producers of the acclaimed Zoids and Fourth Protocol. Last
year however, the duo broke away to form their own company, Binary Vis-
ion, and have just released Stiff lip and Co on the Palace label. Julian Rig-
nail spoke to Paul Norris about the company and their plans for the future.

Paul Norris and Rupert Bowater originally cut
their programming teeth at Thorn EMI,
developing games for the now extinct T exas Tl
micro computer. Their initial efforts were far
from successful though, as Paul explains . . .
‘we’d both spent a year programming and
were really proud of what we’d done - espe-

^^The main Zoids screen, showing the missile’s
trajectory and the view from its on-board
camera

daily as nobody had done anything really good
for the Tl . U nfortunately there was a huge inter-
company argument and the games ended up
being shelved.’

Undeterred, Paul took up programming on
the Commodore 64 and produced Ice Palace,
which was released on the Creative Sparks
label (reviewed in ZZAP! issue one). Paul con-
tinues the story, ‘during that time Rupert and
Benni Notarrinni had formed the Electric Pencil
Company and were working on the The Fourth
Protocol. I joined them after finishing Ice
Palace, but had to stop programming for the
last two months of development to complete
my finals at University.’

Following the success of The Fourth Pro-
tocol, Martech commissioned the Electric
Pencil Company to program the officially
licensed Zoids game. ‘We spent a long time
trying to sort out what to put in’, says Paul. ‘The
product was aimed at a lower age group, and
we eventually produced a game which was at
the end of the market - 1 think we lost out
because of that. The other th ing about Zoids is
that it’s such an incredibly hard game. What it
lacked was a joint between the pick up and
play style and lasting appeal.’

And did Paul think they’d got the balance

Binary Vision’s latest release, Stifflip and Co

right with Stifflip &Col ‘With Stifflip, we tried
to introduce an ‘ arcadey ’ element - picking up
and dropping objects for instance - but with-
out the hassle of having to type things in. We
also wanted it to be fun. It was a case of getting
rid of all the things that Rupert and I don’t like
about adventures, getting stuck, making maps
and worrying about what the parser’s doing.’

‘We came up with the idea of a fun 1 920’s
style game with lots of bad jokes when we were

working on Zoids, but it was put on ice until
we’d finished. When we did eventually find
time, we got together with Palace and discus-
sed the game design. It has taken about year
to finish and has been an awful lot of work. It

ym The Electric Pencil Company’s Fourth
v Protocol

takes so much longer to write an original game
because you have to try everything out. If it
doesn’t work, it has to be adapted, and all that
takes so much longer. It really is twice as long
in development as, say, a conversion.’

Binary Vision have certainly got a reputation
for producing original games. What are the
plans for the next one? ‘A shoot ’em up which

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you can get straight into’, says Paul after some
thought. ‘Something where thinking is just a
part of the process of progression. It’s going to
be set in a living universe so there should be
plenty of opportunity for some really striking
graphics. I hope to get something which
creates an atmosphere, just like Bladerunner.
It just felt that you were living there, and I think
a game can do that. I ’ m also very interested in
the idea of producing a two-player game. I
don’t think there’s any point in playing alter-
nate goes, it’s more of the interactive stuff. I
don’t want to say too much because it’s still at
the stage where things can change so much.’

Unfortunately Paul reckons there’ll be
nothing to see for at least nine months. We’ll
just have to wait until next summer . . .

The innovative Zoids shield system

ELECTRIC DREAMS

SOFTWARE

Electric Dreams Software. Authorised User.

The razzamatazz of the show of the year is soon be upon us once again.
The 10th PCW Show is to be held in London - and Olympia’s National
Hall will change, overnight, from an empty and peaceful space into a
seething mass of sweaty bodies all fighting to get at the glittering stands.

It’s fun, it’s noisy, it’s chaotic, it’s got the ZZAP! crew (well, three out
of four ain’t bad!) and for the computer-loving public, it’s the place to be
in September.

And you can be there too, at a price of course - unless you’re one of
50 winners of this competition, in which case you can get into this
emporium of computer-generated happiness without having to pay a
penny! When you get there you can trot up to the Newsfield stand
(number 3040) and pick up your free PCW Show programme, along with
a copy of Newsfield’s forthcoming magazine THE GAMES MACHINE -
which is set to be launched at the show. And you can natter to everyone
from ZZAP! who should be on the stand throughout the show - unless
they’re on ‘important business’ that is.

There’ll be hundreds of software and hardware companies showing off
their wares, and this year’s show promises to be the biggest and best yet.

. ' * « *

Anyway, back to the comp . . .

As you all know, we have just gained a new editor, none other than that
bastion of Irish wit, Ciaran Brennan. He’s new to the PCW show, and to
tell the truth he just might get a bit lost on his way from the Newsfield
stand to the . . . er . . . refreshments. The friendly art department have
obtained a floor plan of the show and have drawn on some of the possible
ways for the Ed to stagger across the hall and into the journalist’s
watering hole. Only one of the trails actually reaches the pint of Guinness
lovingly prepared for Mr B, and we would like you to tell us which path is
the correct one that he should take.

Jot the answer down on a postcard along with your name, address and
telephone number (if you have one) and stick it in the post box with this
written on the front: PCW COMP, ZZAP! TOWERS, PO BOX 10,
LUDLOW, SHROPSHIRE, SY8 1DB.

Entries must arrive before August 25th. Tickets will be despatched to
the 50 winners well before the show, and they may be used on any of the
public days which are between September 25th and 27th.

. :

Stairs to Irv* r* *
Ground Floor kDOLWlN!

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ApoJsRestaurant

Ife '•

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By Andrew Braybrook

Monday 15th June

ST had been trying to cure our data transmission problems
last week. It’s now quite rare that we successfully download a
file for testing, and they’re getting quite large so the chances
of getting an error has increased . By keying in a quick analys-
ing routine we discovered that sometimes the Opus doesn’t
switch its data-ready signal off very cleanly, so much so that
it causes a second trigger. This only occurs briefly, but long
enough to fool the C64 that another byte of data is ready.
Therefore our receiving program reads in the supposed new
data, and when it comes to check-for-errors time it discovers
that someone has made a boo-boo. By checking the CIA latch
a second time after the data is accepted, and ignoring it we
have alleviated these ‘ghost’ images. No errors have occurred
in the ten or so downloads since.

I’ve fixed the bug that allowed the ship to pass through
charge orbitals in two directions, and I’m reasonably happy
that everything is working correctly. I’ve put in an extra piece
of information at the beginning of each phrase which shows
the current level and what I’ll call the current * timeslice’ . This
is an indication of real time taken playing games, which is used
to to derive the effectiveness of your weapons against the
enemy. A weapon built in timeslice ten will be fairly ineffec-
tive by timeslice 20. Each timeslice will represent about two
minutes of play.

Tuesday 16th June

Half day today. Got to grips with the compacted sprites and
organised the ones that I’d drawn already. I then noticed that;
that many of the images were symmetrical top to bottom. This
led me to try further compaction by only keeping the top half,
and then reflecting the required images prior to use. The
routine turned out to be quite small, and certainly simpler
than reflecting left to right, which I had to do in Paradroid.
Unfortunately the decompaction system went slightly wrong
when the ‘it was written so long ago it’s bound to work’ sprite
header routine failed miserably! It was supposed to nip
through the compacted sprites and note where each one starts,
which saves me either reading through them all every time I
want one header, or holding all the headers in a table all the
time. However, it managed to miscount so it got out of step
with the actual images, so by the time the individual sprite
decompacter got there it was picking up the wrong data com-
pletely.

Wednesday 17th June

I’ve never written one before but it suddenly dawned on me
that an automatic sprite animation system would be a good
idea. A lot of space has been wasted in previous programs by
objects each having their own bit of animation code, like
‘every fourth cycle add one to the sprite frame and if it’srbigger
than ‘X’ then subtract seven from it.’ This can be done on a
similar basis to the automatic sprite colour system, which
relies on any one sprite being used for one purpose only. This
may require some duplicate sprites, but since they’re all com-
pacted I don’t mind.

I had a discussion at the CBM show on Sunday about the
merits or otherwise of high-ish level languages - mainly C.
Personally I think it’s a pig of a language, as it is totally wrap-
ped up in its own syntax structures. It has two ways of specify-
ing equals, either 1 = ’ or ‘ = = ’ depending on whether it’s in
the equivalent of a BASIC LET or IF. Every other language
I’ve come across manages with only one symbol, they know
which one you’re talking about by the context of the fine. C
also makes you put curly brackets round multiple statements
within an IF-ELSE structure, something which COBOL
achieves by use of nothing more than a carefully placed full
stop.

Thursday 18th June

The sprite animation system is playing up. Objects disappear,
flash on and off and go through the wrong sequences - any-
thing to get out of working properly. I checked the object
handlers and the animation routine, found a few errors but all
to no avail. It took until 4:30 to find the cock-up. It was the
animation instructions that were wrong. Apparently eight
plus three is not 83 at all! This causes sprite sequences to jump
about wildly, sometimes picking ‘suicide frames’, causing
objects to automatically delete themselves on the final frame
of explosions etc . I thought it would be tidier if objects cleared
themselves away.

Friday 19th June

Spent much of the day on the sprite editor. I want a design for
the charge supervisors, which will travel around looking for
trouble - that is, as soon as an orbital is attacked they will head
towards it. However all I managed to design were a few more
roamers.

I haven’t had any transmission problems at all this week so
it looks as if we have correctly diagnosed the fault as being
cheap and untidy electronics at the PC end.

Got a rough draft of the artwork from Hewson’s today.
They’ve been looking at my Amiga artwork, so their artwork
is quite closely related to what I’m intending for the game. I’m
reasonably impressed by the layout, but they didn’t use my
logo, just some old Paradroid-style lettering. They said my
logo looked like a row of coffins in space.

Monday 22nd June

T idied up a number of loose ends and fixed all known bugs . I
had to make the Universe slightly bigger as some particles
were intent on leaving it. I also reduced the size of the fastest
polar speeds, the fastest bullets were just flashes across the
screen, not very practical for collision detection.

Went on a programmer’s fitness course at the
weekend, which involved transferring graphics from the C64
(downstairs) to the Amiga (upstairs) for enlargement and
enhancement. This involved memorising graphics on the
C64, racing upstairs, and redrawing them on the Amiga - 1
bet it’s still faster than RS-232 . the net result is that I’ve drawn
the 16 system units in 32 glorious colours at double the size
for inclusion in an accompanying booklet.

Tuesday 23rd June

Toyed with the smart bomb weapon to get it to work. It’ll be
a medium-term weapon rather than a once-off blast. It’ll start
off at maximum strength and decay to zero after firing, so it’ll
affect meanies arriving on the screen. Also it won’t necessarily
kill meanies outright, especially if the weapon is getting old.

Also put in the collision detection for my own bullets. Hav-
ing a maximum of eight, and there being eight bits in a byte
makes things quite simple. The bullets are small but are mov-
ing quite fast, up to eight pixels per move, so character accu-
racy is all that is required. Each meanie will check the charac-
ter position under its centre for the presence of a bullet. I’m
not using sprite to sprite hardware collision detection for a
number of reasons, mainly that it isn’t all that helpful in mul-
tiple collisions knowing that sprites one, two, six and seven
have collided somewhere. Which one has collided with which,
or have they all met in the middle? Many collisions are irrelev-
ant and needn’t be checked.

I also worked out all the data for the weapons development
table, all 57 weapons. Each has its own firing type, bullet fired,
reload time, construction time, graphic number, and cost to
build. Any volunteers to check that they’re all present and
correct?

Wednesday 24th June

Been doing some random spot checks on the weapons. I’d
managed to ruin the sequential fire system. It fired one bullet,
waited for ages and then released the next seven in quick suc-
cession. Apparently it had waited for the gun to reload before
firing the remaining bullets.

I’ve started putting in all the bits that nick the energy,
including collisions with orbitals, and firing the guns. Yes,
the guns take energy to fire, life’s like that. They don’t take
very much though, without any energy replenishing systems
the ship is still good for some 1500 bullets. This will become
virtually unlimited once a solar cell or other device has been
installed.

I’ve also improved the smart bomb system. It kept firing by
accident as I left the unit, which isn’t damaging with normal
guns, but the smart bomb can drain up to a fifth of the total
energy so something must be done. It requires a delay before

► The 16 systems which can be incorporated into the ship

ZZAP! 64 September 1 987 79

(

► The Morpheus logo as It appears in the game

it fires, so I decided to use this delay properly, not just a delay
for delay’s sake. It counts a timer upwards and will fire when
it reaches the bomb’s preset value. However, as it counts up,
it checks itself against the current energy level. On firing it
will use up the amount of energy equal to the timer, so if there
is insufficient energy available during build-up it will abort
firing. The later smart bombs will build up quicker and thus
use less energy - they’ll reload quicker too. I’ll use sonics to
show this build-up and it’ll be possible to abort firing at any
time.

Thursday 25th June

Some of the charge orbitals were appearing a bit late on the
screen. It seems that updating one every 32 cycles wasn’t quite
enough so I’ve doubled them up so that two are updated every
16 cycles. This seems to be running everything more
smoothly, except that now they’re all decaying twice as fast.
This means that I have less time to find them. This won’t be
the case in the finished game as the charge rejuvenator will be
visiting all the orbitals in turn, but he’s not coded up yet. It’s
quite difficult to find the orbitals at the moment, so I rigged
up one of the systems to glow when there’s one nearby. This
should be useful on later levels.

I’ve enhanced the shield’s generators so they show their
current status with colour, and you can also buy another sys-
tem which shows the current status of the whole ship’s
shields. I have three remaining systems that don’t have a cur-
rent purpose.

For the first time I can now score points to earn money to
buy weapons and systems. I’ve currently got a cheat version
that gives me buckets of money anyway and allows me to build
any of the weapons instantly. The systems don’t decay with
time, as it’s really the meanie’s growing immunity to the
weapons which causes the weapons to fail, but the systems can
be blown up if the shields collapse.

Friday 26th June

Put in a new system device - a direction to nucleus indicator.
This should help navigation tremendously. Begin an eight-
directional indicator, I thought I’d borrow a calculation
routine from Paradroid that decides which laser bolt frames
to use. One problem though -ST and I realised that it didn’t
work . . . well not quite anyway. We also realised that it only
has to calculate four directions, it has no need to differentiate
between up and down as the bolts are reversible. We therefore
decided to work it all out from first principles.

At first our marvellous indicator was incapable of showing
diagonals. We had used the line equations the wrong way
round when working out whether a point is above or below
2X = Y and 2Y = X. The direction finder could turn out to
be useful, so I’ve made it a separate routine from the indicator
so that I can use it later for other functions.

For better between-game continuity I think I’ll rig it such
that upon demise the player’s funds remain for the next game.
This will allow a quicker building up of a new ship.

Monday 29th June

Put in some close manoeuvring to stop the ship if it’s moving
very slowly. This helps with close positioning of the ship and
also lessens the times when stars are moving very slowly. It
took me a while to suss out that this was not working in the
engines section, as it has a quite get-out clause normally to
check for dematerialisation.

I put in a top limit for the amount of money that can be car-
ried forward to the next game. I can just see some idiots play-

80 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

ing level one and then quitting for half the night to build up a
mega-fortune for one game. Tough luck, cheats!

Over the weekend I spotted a double star flitting between
two places on the screen at high speed. I’ve been running the
game for a while hoping to reproduce this error so that I can
investigate, but will it happen again? No chance!

Actually got recognised in Tesco’s, so to ensure that I don’t
get run over by a shopping trolley next time, hi to Rob and
John!

Tuesday 30th June

Put down on paper all the ideas for meanie movement and
initiation. This is the last big push to get the game in a playable
state, the rest will just be tuning up and adding some frills.
Most meanies will be generated as a result of altering the
change of an orbital. I shall start them off on preset launch
patterns and then switch them over to manual control where
I hope they will behave with a bit of character. I want a more
varied spread of speeds through the levels, and meanies will
be able to generate bullets or other meanies.

Bought Slapfight last Saturday. Great game in the arcades
so I had high hopes of a good game. It’s beeen converted very
well, good playability and visuals, well done, but what about
all the program refinements? No pause mode, no quit game,
and to cap it all it uses sprites in the top border for the score.
Well I can’t see the score on my TV set, it’s off the top. Black
mark for that one, why is it up so high?

► The remote droid and landing pad

Wednesday 1st July

First day of overtime, I was scheduled to complete Morpheus
yesterday, but I’ve missed a number of days work for one
reason or another and I really want this game to be something
special - so it’ll come out when it’s ready. This is an artistic
expression, not something off a production fine.

Started coding the meanie initiator and control routines. I
didn’t feel like coding a lot of routines up again slightly
differently, so I decided to adapt the ones that already run the
bullets and the remote. This saves code and simplifies things
(famous last words).

Sure enough I ended up with no bullets and an invisible
remote. Haven’t the faintest idea why. The objects are getting
initiated in the correct places, they just die immediately. Last
time anything did that it was the animator’s fault, but not this
time.

Thursday 2nd July

Found the no-bullets bug last night by staring at the listing.
Apparently someone had put two instructions in the wrong
order. Wait until I find out who that was. The disappearing
remote took a while longer, but was another typing error. I’d
taken the Y co-ordinate of the remote’s position, added the Y
movement and then stuffed the result in the X co-ordinate by
mistake. When you’re convinced that a piece of code is work-
ing you just read what you want to see, not what’s actually
there.

Continued to write the bullet and meanie initiator and
handlers. Since meanies can fire other meanies instead of bul-
lets, I can have a whole sequence of meanies. They have differ-
ent conditions for generating others, randomly, only when
wounded, or only when killed. Generally meanies will only
take one shot to kill, but outdated weapons will be less effec-
tive. Injured meanies will have different flight patterns, usu-
ally wild retreat, but slightly scratched ones may well get vic-
ious. The smart bomb should have an interesting effect on
them, especially an outdated one.

Was interested to read in this month’s ZZAP! that multi-
loads are okay if they load the next level while you’re playing
the current one, even if it’s deliberately lengthened to give die
loader time! This type of loader is loading data by getting the
cassette to cause interrupts rather like Novaload does. This
leaves about 50% of the CPU power to the main game and no
interrupt capabilities. You could get more CPU steam up by
slowing down the loader, and you could try to split the screen
using NMIs, but I suspect that screen splitting would be
impractical as it is heavily tied into the progress of the raster,
which stops for no man. So this type of loader is fine for games
with no raster splitting and little CPU usage, but don’t expect
that sort of thing in Uridium Plus 2 and Alleykat’s Revenge
which would use all available CPU wellie most of the time.
This said, there are moments in games where very little is hap-
pening, for example when ‘Player Ready’ messages appear,
so short bursts of I/O are possible. Searching tapes is not really
practical though, and waiting for CBM disk I/O is like watch-
ing paint dry. I think the short-term answer is better data com-
paction. I could have loaded each Uridium dreadnought from
disk into its 9K buffer, each is 5 12 characters wide by 17 deep,
but by compacting this data I could specify each one in about
600 bytes. Thus I could fit 16 layouts into about 12K with
overheads. If that were all decompacted at once it would take
144K, more than two C64s full!

Many multi-load games don’t bother to compact data like
background pictures, because they have already accepted that
disk I/O is inevitable, so what’s another ten seconds of load
time, if they don’t have to spend any time working out how to
get the best use from data. If they thought about it more they
could cut multi-load I/O times down by 75%, but the per-
ceived value of a game that loads from disk is much higher
because you think you’re getting more for your money.

Friday 3rd July

Finished off the meanie and bullet handlers today, now all I've
got to do is get them to work. I want the bullets to hit the
shields and explode if the shields can take the hit, otherwise
the bullets will skid across the surface of the ship doing more
damage. I also want the meanies to bounce off the ship in a
realistic manner, or get squashed against it if they can’t get
out of the way, such is the power of a large ship.

Realistic bouncing is always a problem, because although
it’s fairly easy to detect when the ship has been hit, it is not so
easy to decide what direction to bounce off at. I got round this
by defining a perpendicular direction from the face of each
ship character. Any meanie approaching a block can be
reflected across this perpendicular axis and pushed away. I
also enhanced this by adding that if a meanie approaches from
an unusual angle it will be allowed free passage.

Fired up the game after a multitude of assembly errors had
been fixed. All was going well until I fired at a charge orbital
which is supposed to release from one to eight meanies or bul-
lets. This however did not happen. What did happen is that
the game totally froze. Now I’ll have to take out the routines
one by one to find out which one caused it. This is always a
problem when you add lots of inter-dependent routines at
once. The code seems intact, it restarts okay after reset with-
out reloading any files. There may well be an infinite loop
coded in there.

Monday 6th July

There I was, checking all the routines for possible reasons why
the machine locks up, and I came across a JSR $0000, a call
to a routine at the 65 10 data direction register? I think this
could be the cause. The jolly old linker has left a gap in the
code because it didn’t know what the real address was sup-
posed to be. It didn’t bother to tell me that it didn’t know
because ever since day one it has whinged about not being
given a transfer address . I don’t even know what one of them
is. I’d gladly let it have one but I don’t know how to tell it
either. The manual doesn’t mention transfer addresses. I got
so fed up with it telling me to give a transfer address that I told
it to keep messages like that to itself, so it kept two unresolved
labels to itself too. This is altogether more serious, it works
without a transfer address, but it sure as Hell won’t work with
unresolved labels in it.

Tuesday 7th July

Debugged most of the meanie routines, and now I’ve got
enough data in the game to generate several different types in
a number of different ways. They are firing flak at me which
can blow up onboard systems and damage the ship. Their
manual movement patterns are switching in, but aren’t yet
positive enough to force them to move in any particular way ,
it’s just a question of line adjustment.

The main problem that we’ve come across is that the game
consists of moments of high activity followed by longer
periods of travelling to another orbital . Finding the orbital is
a bit haphazard. There are a number of systems to aid naviga-
tion, but I don’t want to make them all available at the begin-
ning. I’ve come to the conclusion that I need a medium range
radar display.

Wednesday 8th July

I didn’t want to put a radar screen in, but if the game requires
one then it shall have it. Now, where shall I put it? I can’t
incorporate it into the main ship design, it’s too big. I refuse
to make it a sprite or two and bung it in the top border. I’ll
hang it below the game logo. I drew some scales round the
edge to make a border for it but it looked rather sketchy. The
actual coding didn’t take very long but on firing up it didn’t
work. Not a radar plot in sight. Upon moving about I could
occasionally get a dot to momentarily appear and that was all.

I studied the code for ages and there was no way at all that it
could possibly fail, but it did.

■WSWSKS

By 6. 30 1 was getting very cross indeed, the C 1 28 nearly got
thrown out of the window. It then suddenly dawned on me
what I had done. Since I am plotting two orbitals every cycle
it takes 16 cycles to prepare all their positions. I then spent
the next 16 cycles copying one row of the radar to the screen,
so this also takes 16 cycles to complete. This copying process
is spread over some time to avoid doing time-consuming oper-
ations all at once - it also carries out the function of clearing

► My interpretation of the logo - now I ask you, does that look like a row of coffins?

out the old radar images once they have been copied to the
screen. All this was jammed into the one routine, the first 16
cycles prepare the radar, the next 16 copy it to the screen. Now
the problem is that this routine is called twice each cycle, so
it copies the radar across, clears the old image, copies the now
cleared image across again and finally clears it again . The set-
up needs to be done twice, but the copying and clearing must
only be done once. How could I be so stupid? Don’t answer
that.

Thursday 9th July

Changed the radar surround to a more solid border and built
it up into more of a crest to fill it out. ST suggested that it be
a different colour from space to distinguish it from the back-
ground so we eventually decided on blue. It looks quite neat
now and serves its purpose very well.

Paul Hughes dropped by to discuss some new anti-cartridge
techniques and loader. He left his Koalapad with me as I
intend to use a bit-map picture as a loading screen, hopefully
for the disk and tape version. I’ve done a mock-up on the
Amiga-beast and it all looks feasible, trouble is I don’t know
how to use the Koalapad. I’ve tried turning it upside down
and rolling it about on the table but I don’t have big enough
area.

Friday 10th July

Spent much of the day thinking about how to run the charge
rejuvenators, the ships that periodically ferry charge from the
central nucleus to the orbitals to counteract their decay. This
involves getting the craft to the orbital (easy), carefully driv-
ing round it (not so easy) and finally docking with it from
above (difficult). As the orbitals are positioned in a circle or
other pattern around the nucleus then some are easy to
approach from above, others are much harder and require
more complex guidance.

I’ve changed my mind about the charge supervisors, apart
from deciding that I only need one at a time. I’ll make it appear
in the distance and slowly approach to use the 3D depth effect
a bit more. It’ll appear after a while around any attacked orbi-
tal.

Monday 13th July

Put in some enhancements that I’d thought of over the last
couple of days. I had to reduce the number of active meanies
to six as they are eating up the CPU time. This isn’t too much
of a problem as I’ve also thought of a way of keeping them on
screen without them crashing into the ship, they now run cir-
cles round it like Nigel Mansell on Silverstone.

I put in the code to run the rejuvenator, and after teaching
them a bit of basic navigation they can now find their way from
the nucleus to any of the orbital. They have to move quite
slowly as they arrive, so that they can find their target accu-
rately. Then I reveal my coup-de-grace, the 16 frame anima-
tion sequence tp drop their charge and replenish the orbital.

I’ll have to write the game instructions out soon, I’ve
already done the page numbers, now all I have to do is fill in
the rest.

ZZAP! 64 September 1987 81

By Mel Croucher

A haha, ha, ahem, ooh, ah, ha, ssnft, that’s
better. Somehow, the little black box that
has been sending out waves of laughter (not
to mention ripples of mirth and trickles of
bladder contents), has ceased to have effect. And I
bet you can’t guess who is responsible. No? Well, go
take a look in the mirror. You are responsible. That’s
right. You, the readership of this ancient Kashdis-
pensarian magazine. And how is this possible? I will
tell you. It seems that long, long ago, when Kashdis-
pensa was called Earth, and you all worshi

tril, idly rolling it up and down her perfect leg, pluck-
ing at its stupid little ring-pull with a perfect forefin-
ger, and . . . ye gods! A shower of golden raindrop-
lets whooshes out, jetting and foaming into the pres-
surised dung-gas reactor. The intergalactic circus tent
lurches violently, spinning on its own axis. What an
incredible discovery; fizzy lager propulsion! Now I
know how Thomas Edison must have felt when he
picked up his first light bulb, put it to his ear, and said
‘Mary had a little Iamb.’

Hello folks! It is a wee while later, and several cans
lighter. Tamara is drunk, but that’s fine by me. I
would prefer to have her in a compliant mood when
I transmogrify into homo sapiens moustachioque
toga rumpopumpo. Our craft needs one can of lager
every ten minutes to keep on steaming - as a matter
of fact, so does Tamara! We have just docked in the
bay of the USS Otis Redding in order to pick up some

auxiliary power, and I have joined in the party spirit
by disguising myself as a bubble of spit on Tamara’s
perfect chin. She is playful as a puppy, and giggles her
request to beam aboard, which is grumpily granted
by a paunchy old retired admiral, name of
James T Kirk.

‘James! Kirk fixes us with a blind, violet
veined eyeball, puckers his toothless
mouth, and snarls . . . 9

pensa was called Earth, and you all worshipped the
iron (and so-are-you-ron) goddess Maggot Hatcher,
some bright spark published a Readers’ Question-
naire in order to discover which was the most
unpopular item infesting this very publication. And
can you imagine who came out with egg on her face,
chips on her shoulder, ham in her dialogue and saus-
age up her tutu? Correct. Hole in one. ‘Tamara
Knight’ has generated massive amounts of what that
well-known typographical error for a breakfast cereal
Ciaran Brennan called Negative Feedback. Fortu-
nately for Tamara and my electronic self, this Nega-
tive Feedback has seared through the space-time con-
tinuum like a razor blade hidden in a bar of soap, and
counteracted the good vibrations of the black box.

As all socio-physicists know, once Negative Feed-
back is let loose, nothing can stop it. Indeed, my
historical records prove that it was Negative Feed-
back which caused the collapse of your entire civilisa-
tion. After laughter was abolished and all of your
clowns, poets, hucksters, buskers and other subver-
sives were killed, all colour was stolen. And after
colour, they stole the light. And after light, they stole
your souls. And all that was left in your world was
greed, oppression and Country ’n’ Western music.
And the meek did not inherit the earth, instead they
were forced to eat the dirt. Yes sir. Personally, I
blame God for re-releasing The Creation on Com-
pact Disc, and privatising Forgiveness.

But that is then and this is now, so let’s get on with
it. Tamara Knight, the only perfect human being ever
to emerge from a test tube, is lying prone, her breath
coming in short hot pants. I, on the other hand, am
lying through my teeth. Every other living creature
in this space-travelling circus tent seems to be dead.
Exploded offal is trickling from the tightrope and
trapeze, coagulated gore steaming underfoot, all cre-
atures great and small having laughed themselves to
pie filler. We are still fixed by the baleful stare of the
Red Nosed Clone, but as he has laughed his head off,
I don’t expect any more trouble from him. No, I
expect all of our troubles to focus on the fact that we
have lost our power source of animal manure and are
drifting aimlessly through a sector of the galaxy inha-
bited by nothing but . . . nothing!

‘What shall we do, Louse?’ gasps Tamara, catch-
ing her perfect breaths, letting them go and catching
them again. ‘How are we going to get to wish upon
Astar, so you cam be transformed into an all-male
human being with a smallish moustache and some
leisureware - thereby allowing us to live happily ever
after?’ The solution escapes me, but after mopping it
up I decide that we must make a methodical search
of the Big Top, and try to find an alternative source
of propulsion. By my calculation, if we rely on Tam-
ara producing enough fuel to propel the dung-gas
rockets, it will take a little over 69,000 years to reach
Astar, and although my heroine is young for her age,
she may look a little saggy at the edges by the time we
make planetfall. So, let’s get searching before the
sagging direction of her perfect female attributes
read half-past-six as the crows feet fly.

6 All we have come up with is a whip, a set
of bondage manacles and a crate of
iager . . . 9

I am sorry to report to you that after an extensive
rummage through the sawdust of the ring, the straw
of cages and the shag pile carpet of the hospitality
suite, all we have, come up with is a whip, set of
bondage manacles and a crate of lager. This is no
good at all. I mean we can’t even have a party with it
until I am transformed into a human being. Tamara
is slumped miserably in a heap, and the heap is
slumped miserably in a corner. She is toying with a
can of lager, casually sniffing it with one perfect nos-

82 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

‘Permission to come aboard Sir’, she trills merrily.
‘Chekov!’ the old man responds. ‘Well, there’s no
need to be like that, I only came to ask if I could
borrow a set of jump leads and an extension cable to
get me to Astar. Shall we say about 42 million miles
long. Please. Sir?’ James T Kirk fixes us with a blind,
violet- veined eyeball, puckers his toothless mouth,
and snarls, ‘Sulu! Uhura!’ ‘Oh dear’, says Tamara,
backing away, ‘I think he’s going to be sick. ’ The old
man is getting very agitated and I reckon Tamara’s
diagnosis is quite right, he is about to throw up.
‘Uhura! Uhura!’ he sputters. What a disgusting,
pathetic wreck he is, I think I will instruct Tamara to
cheer him up a bit. Use the black box, my little tipsy
angel. Give him one decent laugh before we murder
him, hi-jack his spacecraft, dodge the copyright liti-
gation and finish the series. And let us pray that the
Negative Feedback from the readers will save us
again.

Hahahahi there! Wehehe’ve done it! Thanks folks!
We have Warp Factor Three, Max Factor too, and
Channel Number Four. Bingo! En route for our
return to the fabled wishing planet of Astar. What a
fun time we’ve been having, the love of my life and
me, We’ve been scraping Captain Kirk off the control
room walls, and ladling him into little glass jars
marked ‘Preserved Fruit’. And we’ve been playing
hide and seek around Tamara’s body, with me dis-
guised as a freckle. And now we are lazily scanning
the USS Otis Redding’s film archive, to try and find
me a suitable moustache for the Great Moment. I
rather fancy one like my old pal Adolf Hitler used to
wear. Did I ever tell you about me and Hitler? No?
Well, we’ve got a little while before we land, so I’ll
fill you in. I it was in parallel universe Number Nine,
as I recall.

I first met Kiss-curl Hitler when he was lead singer
with the Bleeding Nazis, playing in the cellar of the
Rat-Kellar, planet Finchley. That must have been
about 1933: just after half seven, modern time. We
had a few beers, and I told him I was working for Red
Wedge, but the pay was lousy. I also mentioned the

fact that I knew Jimi Hendrix a few episodes ago, but
he wasn’t impressed. Those Nazis were really some-
thing! Great rhythm, excellent visuals, very loud, and
with a really well-organised fan club. Hitler had just
invented this new robotic dance called the Gooses-
tep. It was all the rage. He was into drugs of course.
They all were. And by the time he got the residency
on Little and Large he had become a bit unpredicta-
ble. You know the sort of thing; frothing at the
mouth, harranguing the audience, biting the heads of
pickled beetroot on stage.

Hitler was ambitious, he wanted a big

band/

There was Fats Goering on bass, ‘Emperor’
Hirohito and Benny ‘Duke’ Mussolini on keyboards,
with Keith Moon on drums. But Hitler was ambiti-
ous. He wanted a Big Band. ‘Louse’, he would say,
‘Today Leicester Polytechnic Student’s Union,
Tomorrow Ze Vorld!’ Well, he bought up an amazing
amount of second-hand hardware to take on tour,
from Emerson, Lake and Panzer, and set about the
famous 1979-95 World Tour. He went down a bomb
in Coventry as I recall, and they still talk about the
Nagasaki Open Air Free Festival, when Hitler first
brought his Japanese girlfriend Little Eva Braun in,
for a duet on her Number One hit, ‘Do The Concen-
tration.’

But then punk came along, and Hitler made his
first big mistake. He did a cover version of ‘ Lilli Mar-
lene’ with Pearl Harbour and the B-52s, and switched
labels from Stiff Arm to Nu Wave. I knew he was
going off his trolley by then. He was snorting herring,
and I expect you already know the story where he and
Little Eva got wrecked at The Bunker and poured
petrol over themselves during the last verse of ‘Heil
Joe.’ The band broke up because of musical differ-
ences, and Hitler gradually drifted into obscurity. I
heard he was offered a bit of work by Paul Simon on
the Gracesudetenland Tour, but he turned it down.
He was a bit old-fashioned, I suppose, but he
objected to mixing rock music and politics. The last I
heard, Adolf Kiss-curl Hitler was playing piano in a
little singles bar on the planet Ludlow, but I couldn’t
swear to the truth of that. What I do know is that he
had the most attractive smallish moustache I have
ever longed for.

So there we are then. That’s it. The end of my
story. Well, to be perfectly honest with you, the end
of my contract. This is a democratic publication after
all, and I have been terminated by your very own
popular request. Your Negative Feedback that saved
us at the beginning and near the middle of this
episode has turned out be all-consuming. You always
knew that we would wish upon Astar, didn’t you, and
that I would be transformed from a miniature neut-
ron bomb into an all-male human being, with a smal-
lish moustache and some leisureware. Well, I was.
I’ve travelled a great deal since the last paragraph,
met some interesting life forms, paid my way when I

could, cheated and lied when I couldn’t. All in all I
haven’t been a great success. But there again, I
haven’t been a great failure either. There are a few
things I never realised about humanity though. Like
the fact that you can go bald while still suffering from
adolescent zits and dandruff and that I find it increas-
ingly difficult to find work these days, but I expect
something will turn up.

What’s that you say? Tamara? Oh, I had almost
forgotten about her. She died from cancer a while
back, but what the hell, she was just some girl I used
to know. The hell with her. What did you expect, a
happy ending? You just keep on playing with your
electronic games and filling m questionnaires while
you can. Because real life, mv friends, is an utter
bitch.

ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

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MINIATURE MINIONS

Up for grabs in the Melbourne
House Shadows of Mordor com-
petition was a boxed set of hand-
painted Citadel miniatures and a
copy of the sequel to the
acclaimed adventure, Lord of the
Rings. Judging the many entries
that came flooding in was particu-
larly difficult, but the first prize
eventually went to Scott Cornish
from Bristol. Fifty of the closest
runners up each receive a copy of
the game, and they are . . .

Chris Nelson, Scotland, PA2
8QS; Andrew Bull, Sussex RH11
8UQ; Aidan Donnelly, Dublin,
Eire; David Errington, Tyne &
Wear, NE28 6PG; Mr N. J Webley,
Glostershire, GL51 8AX; Steven
Miller, Lancs, OL6 8BX; William
Chetwynd, Warwickshire, CV10
ODR; Paul Bosett, Peterbough,
PE2 8QE; Lee Price, Warwick-
shire, CV11 6UQ; John Haigh,
South Yorkshire, S71 1XA; Gor-
den Smith, Scotland, ML3 7XX;

THE ARTWORK
HAS LANDED

The ubiquitous wordsearch was
once again brought into operation
for the Hewson Eagles competi-
tion. The first prize was a stunning
piece of original artwork from the
game’s advertisement - and the
first prize-worthy monogram out
of the trilby was that of Birming-
ham’s J Warded. The following 30
runners up each receive a copy of
the game and an Eagles
poster . . .

L D’Arcy, Surrey, KTS 95D; Paul
Picknell, East Sussex, TN39
5HN; Desmond Neale, West
Midlands, WS1 2HR; Robert
Stock, South Glamorgan, CF6
4NY; James Dufy, Coventry, CV3
6HS; A C Porrit, Cleveland, TS26
9QN; Anil Menon, Middlesex,
TW14 OAL; Omar Khan, Essex,
IG1 1ET; Mark Mulford, Essex,
C012 3TR; Philip Wynn, Lancs,

WN8 9BD; Tony David, Kent,
ME10 3AD; Adam J F Kells,
Birmingham, B32 1QT; Paul
Hotchkiss, Shropshire, TF3 2JP;
Boroere Kerkelaan 31, Nether-
lands, 1851-HG; Miss J Murdy,
London, N16 5DS; Chris Varvel,
Norfolk, NR7 8JX; Paul Bayford,
Norfolk, NR4 6TB; T J Hoggarth,
Warwick, CV35 9EW; Allan
Dean, Scotland, IV30 3ET; Guy
Lambert, Warks, CV1 1 6FP;
Mohinder Kang, West Midlands,
B70 6QP; Nicholas Twinn, Co
Durham, DH2 3ET; Eric Morton,
London, SE25 5PL; Matthew
Brimelow, Cheshire, SKI 6 5LL;
Ben Pearne, South Wales, CF31
1QA; Jonathan Dyson, Leices-
ter, LE2 3 D; Bradley Ashton,
Essex, RM3 OSU; Garry Barrett,
Staffs, DEI 3 OXU; Paul Slee,
Barnstaple, EX31 7HP; Lawr-
ence Bowyer, Berkshire, RG7
3NN.

BECOME AN OINK!

SUPERSTAR

Your chance for superstardom
(plus a trough-full of OINK!
goodies) came in Issue 27 where
you had to spot the differences
between two Pete’s Pimple pic-
tures. The lucky winner gets a trip
to the OINK! offices, and will fea-
ture in an OINK! photo story. He
also wins a T-Shirt, a mug and a
copy of the game ... his name?
Mark Fletcher of Glasgow.
Twenty lucky runners up will each
receive a copy of the OINK! game
and an OINK! mug for their
troubles. They are . . .

Michael Young, Essex, RM8
2YJ; Damian Spendlow, Derby-
shire, S40 3DF; Keith Bevens,
Cheshire, M33 2AP; Adrian Mad-
docks, Derby, DE2 7AG; Gavin
Kagan, West Midlands, B95 6 AX;

Paul Malcolm, Co Durham DH3
2HA; David MacLauchlan,
Somerset, BA22 9LF; Paul Had-
rill, Buckinghamshire, MK65DY;
Kelly Richardson, Northants,
NN10 9UE; Mr T R Broadhurst,
Cheshire, WA3 6PT; Mark
Taylor, Gwent, NP6 6ED;
Andrew Buchanan, Renfrew-
shire, PA14 5JR; Raymond Vic-
ary, Cornwall, TR13 8UG;
Mathew Brimelow, Cheshire,
SKI 6 5LL; Richard Middlemiss,
Sheffield, SI 8 6UQ; Gary Par-
tridge, Walsall, WS2 8TU;
Nicholas Edgecombe, Cornwall,
TR4 9DR; David Murphy, Buck-
inghamshire, MK6 2DF; Andrew
Sobryan, Middlesex, TW7 5HX;
702 CPL G S Sporne, Northern
Ireland, BFPO 807.

CHART VOTING ZZAP! T-Shirt): Richard

WINNER (£40 worth ot software p

Mr I Howarth, Cornwall, TR15
2QU; Fiona Bissett, London, N14
5PT; Andrew Potts, West Mid-

land, DY6 8NY; Andrew Russell,

>2 7

West Sussex, PA22 74X; James
Hurdich, Kent, TN2 5LQ; Tak Chi
Lee, Bedfordshire, LU2 OPD;
Daniel Hargreaves, London,
S.E.3; Scott Purdy, Dorset, BH15
3RS; Peter Bridgeland, Essex,
RM11 2RH; Ian Britton, Cardiff,
CF4 8LX; Abid Hussain, Glas-
gow, G41 2DE; Phillip Coe, Wilt-
shire, SN1 3PU; Greig Kobiela,
Strathclyde, G67 4JQ; Paul
Spittlehouse, Humberside,
HU12 9AF; Daniel Smyth, Hants,
S04 3PJ; David Knox, Edin-
burgh, EH16 5HQ; Richard
Higgs, Berkshire, RG3 6GA;
Scott Belhell, Cornwall, IR11
5AW; Darren Butler, Co Louth,
Ireland; Daniel Havardi,

Middlesex, HA5 3AQ; L Custard,
Bristol, BS18 4DW; J Prados,
Friarnet, N1 1 3BS; Morgan Eves,
Norfolk, NR104JW; G Beddows,
Staffs, WS15 2SX; Phillip Peel,
Cheshire, CW8 2NF; David Jef-
freys, Swansea, SA1 7AL; Colin
Gillespie, Aberdeenshire, AB5
4JT; Paul Maund, Hampshire,
P05 4DR; Keith Berry, Lancs,
FY7 7LE; Dean Scott, Northants,
NN17 2PW; Mr Stephen Clover,
Berkshire, RG11 9TU; Andy Van
Wyngaeroen, Belgium, 30 10;
Tom Stoub, 55 g5 AS Leende,
The Netherlands; Daniel Pol-
warth, Essex, IG8 7RG; John
Overall, Essex SS7 5XQ; Roy
Lewis, Lancashire, PR4 1YA;
David Hardy, Nottingham, NG5
4LA; Ronald Stewart, Cleveland,
TS9 6LU; Adrian Green, North-
ampton, NN3 LG2.

► Scott Cornish’s
ideal minion

ZZAP! 64
CHART VOTING COUPON

(Please write in BLOCK CAPITALS)

Name ....
Address

Postcode

If I win the £40 worth of software I would like the following games:
(Game and Software House)

T-Shirt Size S/M/L

1 am voting for the following five games:

1 ,

I am also voting for the following piece of music:
(Commodore 64 ONLY)

ZZAP! CHARTS, PO BOX 1 0, LUDLOW,
SHROPSHIRE SY8 1 DB

j 1

Action, adventure and

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-o

FIRELORD (Hewson)

145,205 Richard Pargeter, Coventry, W Mids
1 43, 1 60 Daniel Osbourne, Hornsea, N Humbs
1 16,805 Damian Ward, Harrogate, W Yorks

FIRETRACK (Electric Dreams)

835,640 Darren Cole, Chingford, London
664,960 Kristian Bruun, Copenhagen,
Denmark

527,290 Johnny Larsen, Copenhagen,
Denmark

BREAKTHRU (US Gold)

246,000 Vincent Old, Wellingborough,
Northants

138,050 Paul Gibson, Sunderland, Tyne And
Wear

1 1 1 .900 Gary Rice, Colchester, Essex

BULLDOG (Gremlin Graphics)

1 ,207,200 Tony Shoreman, Billington, Lancs

1 ,109,500 casey Gallacher, Calcot, Reading

1 .1 08.900 Brett Warburton, Hollingworth,
Cheshire

INTERNATIONAL KARATE (System 3)

382,250 Steven Bodey, Perth, Australia

336,750 Peter Hunt, Hook, Hants
335,220 F Lapp, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

INTO THE EAGLE’S NEST (Pandora)

1,143,300 M Booman, Oud-Beijerland, The
Netherlands

1 ,049,800 Frank the Menhir, Herts

995,600 Aeron Lindley, Messingham, S
Humberside

FIST II (Melbourne House)

1.753.000 Steven Rolf, Kettering, Northants

1 ,560,800 Ged Keaveney, Huddersfield, W
Yorks

1 .220.000 Steven Guilfoyle, Oldham

FIST II TOURNAMENT (Melbourne House)

7.506.000 Shahjahan Alhassan, Slough, Berks

6,012,300 Steven Rolf, Kettering, Nothants

5.096.000 Kevin Lennard, St Helier, Sark

CAULDRON II (Palace Software)

1 ,508,550 Cliff Nobresa, St Helier, Jersey

153,750 John Reynolds, Duxford, Cambridge

132.400 Shaun Russell, Shildon, Co Durham

COBRA (Ocean)

285,900 Philip Stevens, Alfreton, Derbyshire

93.400 Patrick Green, Burnley, Lancs

IRIDIS ALPHA (Llamasoft)

599,760 George Bray, Armthorpe, Doncaster

349,520 Colin Redfern, Heywood, Lancs
204,390 Jonathan Wood, Edgeware, Middx

JAILBREAK (Konami)

195,500 Paul Gibson, Sunderland, Tyne And
Wear

1942 (ELITE)

1,11 5,200 J Ashbrook & G Warnock, Bradford,
W Yorks

871.500 Martin Coyle, Clifton, Notts

822.500 Stephen Lund, Bradford, W Yorks

ACE (Cascade)

121 ,550 Fu Sang Li, Crewe, Cheshire

100,000 Andrew Welch, Stevenage, Herts
83,380 M Horsey, Waltham Abbey, Kent

ALIENS (Electric Dreams)

126,500 Paul Griffiths, Llandudno, N Wales
52,725 Sean Meadows, North End,
Portsmouth

23,950 George Dick, Invergordon, Scotland

ALLEYKAT (Hewson)

14,582,700 Jean-Claude Zeh, Hoenheim,
France

9,334,400 Richard Hudson, Copmanthorpe,
York

8,917,300 Tony Shoreman, Billington, Lancs

ANTIRIAD (Palace Software)

Completed In . . .

3:06 M Gooday, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts
3:40 Damian Boocock, Colne, Lancs
3:52 Ged Keaveney, Huddersfield, W Yorks

ARKANOID (Imagine)

1 ,262,190 Jonathon Webb, Highbridge,
Somerset

979,600 Paul Stapley, Whitby, N Yorks
913,090 Steve Pratt, Leighton Buzzard, Beds

ARMOURDILLO (Code Masters)

21,000 P Griffiths, Llandudno, N Wales

1 1 ,300 Adie Griffiths, Crowborough, E Sussex

9,200 Chris Mclean, Helsby, Cheshire

AUF WIEDERSEHEN MONTY (Gremlin
Graphics)

51 ,223 casey Gallacher, Swallowfield,
Reading

18,000 Sanjay Vaghela, Rugby, Warks
1 6,676 Simon Jeavons, Yeadon, W Yorks

BARBARIAN (Palace Software)

21,200 Chris McLean, Helsby, Cheshire

16,300 David Barker, Bedfont, Middx

15,700 Anthony Finn, Eaglescliffe, Cleveland

BEAMRIDER (Activision)

980,420 Steve Jarratt, ZZAP! Towers
272,174 Steve Tye, Kidderminster, Worcs

BMX SIMULATOR (Codemasters)

4,260 Adrian Broadley, Manby, Lines

BOMBJACK (Elite)

4,052,870 Jez Foy, Tring, Herts

3,264,600 Wayne Winter, Lawrence Weston,

Bristol

1 ,384,130 casey Gallacher, Reading, Berks

89,200 Stephen Wildridge, Great Sutton, S
Wirral

CRYSTAL CASTLES (US Gold)

677,992 Julian Rignall, ZZAP! Towers
668,995 Richard Hardbattle, Nuneaton,
Warks

649,100 Aeron Lindley, Messingham, S
Humberside

DAN DARE (Virgin)

7,423 Sankar Sahdevan, London El 2
7,397 Scott Fulfitt, Endover, Devon
7,297 Shaun Alcock, Tyldesley, Manchester

DECATHLON (Firebird)

41,010 Bryan Chamberlain, Norwich, Norfolk
9,840 Howard Worton, Southwark, London
8,870 Gary Shield, Stockport, Cheshire

DELTA (Thalamus)

1 ,258,430 Colin Redfern, Heywood, Lancs
895,850 Aidon Donnelley, Kilmacud, Dublin
371 ,220 Jonathan Wood, Edgeware, Middx

DRAGON’S LAIR (Software Projects)

63,997 Sean Walker (Runsoft), Melbourne,
Australia

35,410 Martin Coyle, Clifton, Notts

33,750 Simon Cole, Chelmsford, Essex

DUET (Elite)

168,170 Fu Sang Li, Crewe, Cheshire

137.520 Gary Smith, Basingstoke, Hants

1 13.520 Paul Molyneux, Doncaster, S Yorks

ENDURO RACER (Activision)

2,227,475 Dale Somerset, Wadsley Bridge,
Sheffield

1 ,857,098 Steven Young, Wallsend, Tyne &
Wear

1 ,299,832 Howard Worton, Southwark,
London

ESCAPE FROM SINGE’S CASTLE
(Software Projects)

92,742 Craig Knight, Keyworth, Notts
78,538 Howard Clarke, Inverness, Scotland
76,584 Ian Sullivan, Forest Hill, London

EXPRESS RAIDER (US Gold)

68,450 Gavin Shute, Aylesbury, Bucks

42,500 Chris McLean, Helsby, Cheshire

THE EQUALISER (The Power House)

20,620 Dean Stinton, Botley, Southampton
13,120 Graeme Crichton, Irvine, Ayrshire
7,980 Adrian Broadley, Manby, Lines

FEUD (Bulldog)

87% David Barker, Bedfont, Middx
44% Richard Morgan, Fordingbridge,
Hampshire

FLOYD THE DROID (Ariolasoft)

1 1 ,830 Sean Walker, (Runsoft), Australia
7,970 Matthew Williams, Yeovil, Somerset
6,040 Sam Shields, Canterbury, Kent

GALIVAN (Imagine)

287,000 Chris McLean, Helsby, Cheshire

GAUNTLET: DEEPER DUNGEONS (US
Gold)

Merlin The Wizard

8,787,1 95 Asher Rashid, Thornaby, Cleveland
4,350,297 Paul Cashley, Bishopston, Bristol
4,308,061 Michael Robertson, Stirlingshire,
Scotland

Thor The Warrior

4,678,932 David Taylor, Alvington, Glos
3,974,521 Paul Cashley, Bishopston, Bristol
2,999,320 Richard Hardbattle, Nuneaton,
Warks

Questor the Elf

2,497,341 Paul Cashley, Bishopston, Bristol

Thyra the Valkyrie

818,692 Paul Hollingtori, Hullbridge, Essex

GHOSTS ’N’ GOBLINS (Elite)

920,800 casey Gallacher, Swallowfield,
Reading

531 ,890 Christian Major, Norwich, Norfolk
456,060 Chris Goodswen, Norwich, Norfolk

GREEN BERET (Imagine)

1 ,301 ,850 Mark Cunningham, Newtown
Abbey, Co Antrim

1 ,204,1 50 Paul Wheatley, S Norwood, London
1,059,890 Simon Cole, Chelmsford, Essex

GUNSHIP (Microprose)

278,785 Richard Mellor, Bridgwater,
Somerset

265,990 David Nicol, Heworth, York
262,960 Mark Logan, Inverness, Scotland

HEAD OVER HEELS (Ocean)

70,000 Ciaran Brennan, ZZAP! Towers
69,360 Darren Cole, Chingford, London

HERCULES (Alpha/Omega)

1 ,1 59,880 Thomas Broers, Lundflata, Norway
81 5,920 Nils-Olav Barvag, 6770 Nordfjordeid,
Norway

755,500 Robert Hemphill, Port Glasgow

HERO (Firebird)

177,762 Patrick Lammers, 1400 Nivelles,
Belgium

125,324 Julian Rignall, ZZAP! Towers

I, BALL (Firebird)

47,760 Marc Spence, Leeds 10

21 ,300 Stuart Scattergood, address not

included

10,030 Alistair Crichton, Irvine, Ayrshire

102.500 Malcolm Redfern, Preston, Lancs

89.500 Stephen Lund, Bradford, W Yorks

JEEP COMMAND (Bug Byte)

303,990 J Gheorghisor (Runsoft), Melbourne,
Australia

250,350 Dave Breed, Cullercoats, Tyne &
Wear

227,380 Marc Hodge, Selby, N Yorks

KNIGHT GAMES (English Software)

Total:

68,355 Hassan Mussad, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
67,620 Paul Ratje, Newport, Isle of Wight
66,345 Simon Wilcox, Ipswich, Suffolk

KNUCKLEBUSTERS (Melbourne House)

1 1 .700 Craig Bent, Failsworth, Manchester

6,300 Steve Quinnell, New Eltham, London

5.700 Bharat Vaghela, Rugby, Warks

KRAKOUT (Gremlin Graphics)

21 ,1 84,770 Michael Eikmans, The
Netherlands

1 2,740,800 Dave & Brett Warburton, Cheshire

3,068,500 Steven Packer, Chelmsford, Essex

KUNG-FU MASTER (US Gold)

4,785,852 Liam Chivers, Battenhall, Worcs

4,385,990 Stephen Pennel, Fordingbridge,
Hants

3,802,983 Andrew Dallyn, Braughton, Devon

LEADER BOARD (US Gold/Access)

NOVICE

-39 Robert Smith, Edgbaston, Birmingham
-25 Julian Smith, Halesowen, West Mids
-25 Christopher Lamb, Liverpool

AMATEUR

-27 Jonathon Webb, Highbridge, Somerset

-23 Paul Allan, Aberdeen

-23 G McKenzie, Dunbar, E Lothian

PROFESSIONAL

-33 Philip Astley, Kingswinford, W Mids
-24 Paul Allan, Aberdeen
-22 Robin Evans, Tring, Herts

LEADERBOARD: EXECUTIVE EDITION (US
Gold/Access)

NOVICE

-21 Stuart MacKissack, Knightswood,
Glasgow

-14 C Knowles, Sydenham, London

PROFESSIONAL

-30 Steve Jones, North End, Portsmouth
-18 Stewart Rogers, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

LIGHTFORCE (FTL)

3,239,250 Richard Burgman, Seaford, Essex
2,526,975 Jake E, West Bromwich, W Mids
2,296,360 Taki Liberopoulos, Athens, Greece

‘I

PANTHER (Mastertronic)

250,900 Liam Chivers, Battenhall, Worcs

215.500 Jason Birnie, Cranleigh, Surrey
200,940 Steve Lee, Guildford, Surrey

PAPERBOY (Elite)

301 .400 Mark Rolf, Kettering, Northants

300.700 John White, Whitefield, Manchester

140.700 Steve Quinnell, New Eltham, London

PARADROID (Hewson)

364,290 Shazad Iqbal, Bury, Lancs

300.850 Gavin Burnett, Westhill, Inverness
302,604 Gary Whitta, Chingford, London

PARADROID PLUS (Hewson)

86.500 Brian Yeo, Tarbolton, Ayrshire

63,200 Adam Beabies, Tarbolton, Ayrshire

45.500 Karim Bouali, Tooting, London

PARALLAX (Ocean)

106.850 Ali Kerswell, Guildford, Surrey

89,300 Jason Birnie, Cranleigh, Surrey

78.400 Adam Pracy, Newton Flotman,
Norwich

SKY RUNNER (Cascade)

$669,700 John Doyle, Kilmarnoch, Ayrshire
$190,600 Martin Dobson, London El 2
$125,500 Peter Hulme, Bishop’s Stortford,
Herts

UCHI MATA (Martech)

378,760 Mark Sexton, Lancing, W Sussex
353,795 Nicholas Lester, Dudley, W Mids
326,655 D Simmons, Wythenshawe,
Manchester

SKOOL DAZE (Micromega)

1 26,91 0 Anthony Duiker (Runsoft),
Melbourne, Australia

1 20,780 Gordon Shearer, Rothes, Morayshire
104,340 Scott Moore, Fixby, Huddersfield

SLAMBALL (Americana)

7,462,660 Carleton Shaw, London, N10
5,504,870 Gavin Burnett, Westhill, Inverness
4,684,710 Martin Dalton, Rochester, Kent

SLAP FIGHT (Imagine)

1 1 1 ,050 Julian Rignall, ZZAP! Towers

SPLIT PERSONALITIES (Domark)

680,400 Mrs L Hayden, London El 6

665,200 Mrs J Carroll, Burnham-on-Sea,
Somerset

505,100 Michael Skelcher, Wentoning, Beds

STAR GLIDER (Rainbird)

1 10,725 Brian Mainwaring, Talke Pits, Staffs
54,930 Ian Sullivan, Forest Hill, London
46,325 Damian Ward, Harrogate, W Yorks

STARQUAKE (Bubble Bus)

287,763 Nigel Fraud, Godaiming, Surrey
287,140 Ove Knudseu, 5033 Fyllingsdaleu,
Norway

273,667 Per Kiellander, Stenungsund,
Sweden

URIDIUM (Hewson)

22,906,385 CN, SP, MD, JK, Marston Green,
Birmingham

18,228,125 Andrew Simmonds, Deal, Kent
3,820,020 David Horsburgh, Uddington,
Glasgow

URIDIUM PLUS (Hewson)

197,925 Russell Wallace, Co Dublin, Ireland
175,405 Paul Wheatley, S Norwood, London

167,000 Damian Boocock, Colne, Lancs

MARIO BROTHERS (Ocean)

449,380 Jake E, West Bromwich, W Mids
252,620 Ozz, New Eltham, London

MERCENARY: THE SECOND CITY
(Novagen)

7,942,1 96cr Russell Wallace, Dunuoghaire,
Co Dublin

7,442,000cr Brian Mainwaring, Talke Pits,
Staffs

7,086,000cr Glenn Haworth, Swallow, Lines

METROCROSS (US Gold)

31 1 ,700 Louis Farnham, Twickenham,
Middlesex

157,800 Gary Smith, Basingstoke, Hants

90,000 David Bond, Swindon, Wilts

MILK RACE (Mastertronic)

7,794 Gary Smith, Basingstoke, Hants

MISSION AD (Odin)

59,455 Mark Craft, Bearwood, Bournemouth
48,670 David Barker, Feltham, Middx
36,475 Jez Foy, Tring, Herts

MONTEZUMA’S REVENGE (Databyte)

1.127.500 W Drew, Brisbanem, Australia

412.450 Adam Trewella, Stapleton, Bristol

398.450 Ozz, New Eltham, London

MUTANTS (Ocean)

51 .644.500 Adie Bonner, Southbourne
31 ,025,750 Gareth Williams, Swansea, W
Glamorgan

26,460,850 Gavin Richardson, Swinton,
Manchester

VIDEO MEANIES (Mastertronic)

57,798 Adrian Broadley, Manby, Lines

VOIDRUNNER (Mastertronic)

5,403,560 Mick Wall, Hillsborough, Sheffield
4,903,840 Adam Loxton, Street, Somerset
3,800,564 Steven Young, Wallsend, Tyne &
Wear

PARK PATROL (Firebird)

994,990 Simon Jones, Chelmsford, Essex
993,130 Paul Harwood, Penge, London
991 ,570 Andrew McMinn, Colchester, Essex

POD (Mastertronic)

1.468.440 Karsten Toksvig, 8832 SKAIS,
Denmark

1 .082.440 Matthew Penn, Ormskirk,
Lancashire

919,040 Adam Loxton, Street, Somerset

QUARTET (Activision)

295,385 Julian Rignall, ZZAP! Towers

168.100 casey Gallacher, Swallowfield,
Reading

RANARAMA (Hewson)

3,358,400 Richard Leadbetter, Witham, Essex

1.822.200 Craig Knight, Keyworth, Notts

1,555,700 Martin Draper, Alfreton, Derby

RIVER RAID (Firebird)

259,235 Julian Rignall, ZZAP! Towers

ROCK ’N’ WRESTLE (Melbourne House)

3.125.100 Jamie Orridge, Gedling,
Nottingham

2.655.200 Alan Smith, Glenrothers, Fife

941 ,300 Graeme Dutch, Tillydrone, Aberdeen

SABOTEUR (Durell)

£2,789,600 Gareth Mitchell, Mirfield, W Yorks
£1,175,000 Daniel Maurice, Redland, Bristol
£971 ,300 Jari Jaakola, Inkeroinen, Finland

SANXION (Thalamus)

1 ,006,466 Steven Malpass, Stoke-on-Trent,
Staffs

784,390 Stephen Gandy, Halesowen, W Mids
517,860 Peter Williams, Preston, Lancs

SCOOBY DOO (Elite)

248.600 Sean McDonagh, Jarrow, Tyne &
Wear

194,550 Gareth Mackie, Peterhead,
Aberdeenshire

153.600 Stuart Kelly, Reading, Berks

SHAO-LIN’S ROAD (The Edge)

128,420 Damian Boocock, Colne, Lancs
36,1 64 Steven Young, Wallsend, Tyne & Wear

31 .430 Howard Worton, Southwark, London

SHOCKWAY RIDER (FTL)

1 ,524,798 Matthew Phypers, Sunnyhill, Derby

291 ,000 Julian Rignall, ZZAP! Towers
88,350 Howard Worton, Southwark, London

SILENT SERVICE (US Gold/Microprose)

(TONS SUNK)

910.100 Karsten Tokisuig, Drosselvej 6,
Denmark

563.100 Steven Hall, Croughton, N Hants

763.200 Howard Clarke, Inverness, Scotland

SKATE ROCK (Bubble Bus)

288.430 Justin Cole, Huddersfield, W Yorks
239,020 Sean Walker, (Runsoft), Australia
223,280 Stephen Bloor, Nuneaton, Warks

WARHAWK (Firebird)

6,229,526 Glenn Haworth, Swallow, Lines
4,459,784 Hamish Patel, Northolt, Middlesex
3,322,648 Jamie Orridge, Gedling,
Nottingham

WEST BANK (Gremlin Graphics)

210,000 Jon Cullen, Hillgate, Stockport
141 ,250 Mark Huck, Washington, Tyne &
Wear

131 ,600 James Lavelle, Copmanthorpe, York

WIZARD’S LAIR (Bubble Bus)

154,140 Craig Wills, Taunton, Somerset
152,735 Steven Medcraft, Rayleigh, Essex
133,085 Nik Yarker, Blaby, Leicester

WIZBALL (Ocean)

999,999 M Winston & G Eltringham,
Fleetwood, Lancs

999,999 D Fitzgerald & G Ruddock, Liverpool

999,999 Gareth Williams, Swansea, W
Glamorgan

WONDER BOY (Activision)

222,030 Jason Langmead, Vale, Guernsey
168,170 Gary Blackledge, Crowborough, E
Sussex

153,420 casey Gallacher, Swallowfield,
reading

134,370 Tony Exell, Whitley, Reading

STREET SURFER (Bubble Bus)

21,108 Jonathan Stock, Denton,

Northampton

16,270 Howard Clarke, Inverness, Scotland
1 5,81 1 Adie Griffiths, Crowborough, E Sussex

SUPER CYCLE (US Gold/Epyx)

700,400 Declan Quinn, Bessbrook, Newry Co
Down

320,160 A Verhaeghe, Bletchley, Bucks
269,310 Andy Girvan, Corby, Northants

TAU CETI (CRL)

21 ,055 Andrew Tarski, Dursley, Glos
20,465 Robert Elliot, Middlesbrough,
Cleveland

20,440 Shaun Russell, Shildon, Co Durham

TENTH FRAME (US Gold/Access)

Amateur

279 R Geens, B8470 De Panne, The
Netherlands

278 Michael Eley, Wimbourne, Dorset
277 R Guiot, B8470 De Panne, The
Netherlands

NEMESIS (Konami)

19,346,400 Stephen Grady, Wigan, Lancs

12,341,200 Terry Bourdram, Colindale,
London

1 1 ,241 , 1 00 Stephen Ross, Ryde, Isle of Wight

NEMESIS THE WARLOCK (Martech)

12,770 Mike Thomas, Caerphilly, Mid Glam

7,600 Gavin Shute, Aylesbury, Bucks
4,540 Dale Somerset, Wadsley Bridge,
Sheffield

NINJA MASTER (Mastertronic)

485,840 Gordon Shearer, Rothes, Morayshire
198,880 Robert Futter, Downham Market,
Norfolk

196,315 Michael Pihl, Kumla, Sweden

NOMAD (Ocean)

5,264 John Gheorghisor, (Runsoft), Australia
4,065 Paul Want, Harrogate, N Yorks
3,885 Paul Tudor, Stourbridge, Pedmore

OLLI AND LISSA (Firebird)

19,820 Lee Barker, Northwich, Cheshire
14,898 Stuart Scattergood, address not
included

10,000 Damian Boocock, Colne, Lancs

XEVIOUS (US Gold)

281 ,280 Jonathon Webb, Highbridge,
Somerset

224,100 Steven Parkes, Newcastle, Australia

196,270 Fintan Brady, Virginia, Ireland

YIE AR KUNG-FU (Imagine)

1 ,307,000 Gavin Conway, Paisley, Scotland

394,700 M Brown & M Grange, Borrowash,
Derby

355.300 Andrew Crowther, Kibworth, leicester

YIE AR KUNG-FU II (Imagine)

288.300 Carl Adams, Tooting, London

1 83.300 Ian Coulter, Leeds "

1 34,400 Rene Groenewoud, Heerhugowaard,
The Netherlands

Z (Rhino)

701 ,250 Howard Clarke, Inverness, Scotland

671 ,450 Jake E, West Bromwich, W Mids

576,200 Stephen Ross, Ryde, Isle of Wight

ZOLYX (Firebird)

172,161 Mrs Sue McGovern, Leighton
Buzzard, Beds

168,375 Hamish Patel, Northolt, Middlesex
157,163 Julian Rignall, ZZAP! Towers

ZONE RANGER (Firebird)

18,720 Marc Spence, Leeds 10
14,650 Jonathan Wood, Edgeware, Middx
1 2,904 Mrs Sue McGovern, Leighton Buzzard,
Beds

Professional

233 Neil Taylor, Bracknell, Berks
214 Graeme Dutch, Tillydrone, Aberdeen
202 Graham Millie, East Harnham, Wilts

TERRA CRESTA (Imagine)

402,1 00 Michael Dunajew, Adelaide, Australia

371 .800 Robert Hemphill, Port Glasgow,
Renfrewshire

341 ,000 Marc Hodge, Selby, N Yorks

THRUST (Firebird)

4,182,050 Arlo Swinson, Doncaster, S Yorks

3.500.800 Declan Quinn, Bessbrook, Newry
Co Down

3.670.700 Anon, Newry, Co Down

TOY BIZARRE (Activision)

223,420 J D Oliver, Ipswich, Suffolk

144.700 Sherif Salama, Cairo, Egypt

102.900 Julian Rignall, ZZAP! Towers

TRAILBLAZER (Gremlin Graphics)

1,123,350 Jason Cooper, Wednesbury, W
Mids

1,120,040 Henry Rawlinson, Salisbury, Wilts

828,270 Ian Robinson, Tottenham, London

TRAP (Alligata)

481 .900 Lawry Simm, Liverpool L23
429,510 Colin Bayne, Glenrothes, Fife

328,500 Robert Elliot, Middlesborough,
Cleveland

iiititsi

Applications to the Scorelord
should be made on a postcard
or the back of a sealed envelope,
and entries which contain more
than three high-scores will not be
accepted.

DECEPTOR

US Gold, £9.99 cass, £14.99 disk, joystick only

H ot on the heels of Transfor-
mers and Gobots, comes
yet another robotic
metamorphological hero - Decep-
tor.

After many years of training by
his Elders, Deceptor has now suc-
ceeded in mastering the series of
transformations that allow him to
alter his shape, from swift-moving
land vehicle, through robotic alter-
ego, to gently hovering aircraft.
Now he has to prove his worth by
completing a series of hazardous
assault courses.

There are four available options,
allowing the player to practice,
adjust the control settings, view
the high-score table and finally
start the mission.

Although the

igi

gameplay is sim-
ple, offering
nothing more
than a race
against time across an assault
course, it’s still highly addic-
tive. Negotiating the courses
requires a blend of reflexes
and quick thinking, and a keen
eye is needed during the
shoot-out phase. That, com-
bined with the urgency gener-
ated by the timer produces an
exciting and mentally
stimulating challenge. It’s a
shame that the multi-load cas-
sette version is so frustratingly
awkward - the way Deceptor is
structured means that more
time is spent rewinding and
waiting than playing. On the
other hand, the disk version is
great and well worth looking
out for.

Having seen the
ad for Deceptor, I
was expecting
the worst, maybe
because of the
quality of the previous Trans-
former type games. However,
I’m pleasantly surprised. The
gameplay harks back to the
old Zaxxon style, but from a
more oblique view. The forced
perspective graphics are a lit-
tle crude, but they portray the
action well, and the transfor-
mation sequence is well exe-
cuted. The game’s only ugly
feature is the sound, with the
title tune being a little ‘bassy’,
and the effects instantly
forgettable. This is well worth
a look - especially the disk ver-
sion, as the multi-load on the
cassette version reduces the
enjoyment somewhat.

The Deceptor’s alien world
takes the shape of a three-dimen-
sional, horizontally scrolling,
forced perspective assault course.
The objective is to reach the Guar-
dian at the end of each assault
course and destroy it before the
time limit expires. The player has
unlimited Deceptors to complete
the task, with the mission only
ending when the time runs out.

Throughout the level there are
square packs which yield one mis-
sile (used to combat a Guardian)
and ten seconds of extra time
when touched. When a Guardian
is encountered, Deceptor reverts
back to his human form and uses
a hand-held blaster to despatch
the creature. Shots are aimed

Just part of the vast landscape that Deceptor must negotiate in order to
Ml complete his mission

DISK

This issue’s ‘Odd
game of the
month’ prize
goes to Deceptor.
It’s a cross betw-
een Marble Madness, Zaxxon
and T ransformers - honest! The
perspective graphics work
pretty well and a good feeling
of a solid, three dimensional
world is generated. The
Deceptor’s metamorphosis
sequence is also quite impres-
sive, but I ultimately found
myself setting the transforma-
tion control to the ‘off’ posi-
tion, as it intrudes on the
action too much. The presen-
tation of the disk version is
superb, although the ability to
alter the control settings is a
nice, but somewhat ineffective
addition. I’m not too sure
about the appeal of the cas-
sette version, but on disk,
Deceptor’s a winner.

using the joystick, with the result-
ing explosions giving the only indi-
cation of a shot’s accuracy. When
the Guardian is destroyed the time
left is converted to bonus points
and Deceptor progresses to the
next, more difficult sector.

Before Deceptor can cross over to the second level, the fire- breathing
Guardian of Level One must be destroyed

PRESENTATION 90%

Plenty of options to alter the
gameplay, plus the ability to save
out the high scores. A practice
and demo mode are also
included.

GRAPHICS 80%

An effective three-dimensional
landscape and some suitably
alien sprites. The transformation
sequence is especially neat.

SOUND 69%

The unusual soundtrack and
spot effects add to the alien
atmosphere.

HOOKABILITY 68%

Addiction sets in as soon as the
control method and perspective
become familiar.

LAST ABILITY 75%

Plenty of screens and enough
variety to provide a lasting chal-
lenge.

OVERALL 80%

An original and unusual variation
on the transforming robot theme.

CASSETTE

PRESENTATION 76%

Includes all the features of the
disk, except for the high-score
save option. Unfortunately the
multi-load is far too intrusive.

GRAPHICS 80%

See disk.

SOUND 69%

See disk.

HOOKABILITY 62%

The tricky control method and
cumbersome multi-load system
is a hurdle, but perseverence
reaps its own reward.

INSTABILITY 70%

Plenty of action-packed
screens, but having to rewind the
cassette after even, game might
prove too much for the impa-
tient.

OVERALL 72%

An original and unusual variation
on the transforming robottheme.
unfortunately marred by a
clumsy loading system.

■

FIND STRANGE AND EXCITING NEW WORLDS

Featuring:

One player, Two players, Dual

if* •"V a * r* * ■

allies or Dual enemies. Five
channel sound which utilises two
separate speech channels with
sampled dialogue and effects. Super
fast 360" fire power. Collectable
pods to enhance your spacecraft's shield,
fire power, manoeuvrability and speed. *

Hi-Score, Ultra Score and Galactic Hall
of Fame.

■ \ ;:v

Credits-

| ) Program and sound effects by

/ i Simon NicoL

/ Graphics by Bob Stevenson.

I Music by Rob Hubbard. \

/ / Commodore 64/1 28, £8.95 cassette, £12.95 disc

Martech is the registered trade mark of Martech Games Limited,

Martech House, Bay Terrace, Pevensey Bay, East Sussex BN24 6EE

TRADE ENQUIRIES WELCOME, PHONE (0321) /6B4S6 TELEX: 878373 Martec G

a iu:ho.... i

"An arcade strategy game with enough
addictive qualities to turn even the toughest
coin-op aide into an arcade junky" C fit VG

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Return to art age of mystery and intrigue, a place in %hich the fabled
tr easur e of King Solomon shone brightly with its glorious w ealth.
Where amongst the network of mysterious rooms lies the next kev
that will bring you near er to these fabulous riches. Whei e amongst
the stone pillars and hidden dangers lie mytftjgpl creatures that can
perpetuate your life long enough to reach your ultimate goal.

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SPECTRUM 48 I28K <8.99

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U-S. Gold Ltd., Units 2 3 Nolford Way, Holford, Birmingham 86 7A\. Tel: 02 1 356 3388

’ «s»WVpOC5NY MC G£T RVP Of '

N ew York folk can rest easy
in their beds once again.
The reason? Paul Kersey’s
back in town! Charles Bronson’s
vigilante character from the infam-
ous Michael Winner films surfaces
on the ’64 to continue his one-man
fight against crime and injustice.

Our people’s hero is armed with
a 475 Magnum hand-gun, a pump-
action shotgun, a sub-machine
gun and, to cap it all, a shoulder-
held rocket launcher. Each
weapon is brought into play by

h jf § Computer games
don’t come much
K 9° r ' er than this!

The sprites are
nicely animated,
and the way they’re shredded
by gunfire and blown apart
when bombed is amusing, if
not a bit gratuitous. The prob-
lem is the flawed gameplay.
Weapons and safe rooms are
far too easy to find, and you
can leave the stony faced
sprite alone every so often to
replenish his lost energy. My
first go went on for ages - and
with very little practice it’s
possible to play for hours on
end. The action is still fun
though, but the enjoyment is
only short term as shooting
down people wears off quite
quickly. The programmers
have obviously made the best
they could out of the pretty
limited film, but it just hasn’t
got enough depth or variety.

* J c« ! 5L- j ® pk wHH keys!

This isn’t nearly
as good as I
expected. Apart
from being mor-
ally unsound
(shooting down human beings
with bazookas and guns can’t
be that good for public rela-
tions), Deathwish is also badly
constructed. I quickly got lost
within the very similar streets
of New York, and the pointless
rotational control method just
served to confuse. It’s all so
illogical, you clear a screen of
bad guys and leave, only to
return a second later and find
them alive again!!! The
graphics aren’t particularly
brilliant either, and once
you’ve seen the gory death
sequences a couple of times,
the novelty wears off. Not even
one for fans of the movie I’m
afraid.

pressing the control key to cycle
through the armoury. The weapon
in use is pictured at the bottom of
the screen, together with its
remaining ammunition.

New York is displayed as flick-
screen backdrops, inhabited by all
manner of New Yorkers, from
thugs and punks to grannies,
police and even prostitutes.

Whenever a street intersection
is met, Kersey turns to face in any
of four directions, with the back-
ground scene altering accord-
ingly. A map of the area is dis-
played below the main screen,

showing Paul’s location within the
city. Pressing ‘ M’ toggles the map,
first to show the gang leader’s
positions, so they can be located
and destroyed (the objective of
Kersey’s self-appointed crusade),
and secondly to display replace-
ment weaponry. Both weapons
and leaders are found within
houses which Paul enters from the
streets. In some rooms Kersey can
look out of the window onto the
street and safely take out baddies
at his leisure.

As the slaughter continues, the
score reflects the accuracy of the
vigilante’s shooting. A negative
score is achieved only when good
guys are being blown away - by-
standers or the police for instance.
Despatching bad guys results in a
healthy positive score, and suc-
cessfully quelling riots and killing
gang leaders results in large bonus
scores.

Gremlin might
well have gone to
the Board of Cen-
sors with Death-
wish III, as it con-
tains several bloodthirsty
death scenes - not least of
which is the total blowing
away of someone with a rocket
launcher . . . gruesome! The
method of changing Paul Ker-
sey’s situation within the city
is somewhat misleading, and
an eye must be kept glued to
the map or else confusion
soon sets in. Unfortunately, it
seems that the game lacks a
definite conclusion, and as
such becomes a matter of
stamina rather than skill. This
completely undermines the
achievements within the
game, and results in a rather
mindless shoot ’em up.
Another uninspired release
from a company of consider-
able talent.

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birt otherwise death'*/ Simp- ~

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but boredom sets in lend be*drS
a satisfactory conokis-on is
reached

■

Mrrors the pointt^hdds cd the;
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ZZAP! 64 September 1987 93

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the entire play area.

The visiting team bats first, with
the overhead view showing a close
up of the pitcher and hitter. The
pitcher throws the ball by pressing
fire, and has control over the ball’s
flight until it passes the plate,
being able to swerve it left or right,
and alter the speed of flight. Bat-
ting is merely a matter of pressing
the fire button at the correct
moment so that the bat makes
contact with the ball.

When the ball is hit, the main dis-
play changes to a view of the cor-
responding fielder as he or she
attempts to catch or stop the ball.
The overhead scene shows the
relative positions of the ball, fielder
and batsman as he runs from base
to base.

wap the grass diamond for a
parking lot, the homebase
for a trash can lid and Babe
Ruth and Joe DiMaggio for Bojo
and Kitty from the next block. This
is street level Baseball with local
kids forming the teams and the
two ‘ball parks’ consisting of a
vacant patch of waste ground and
a deserted car park.

Having decided on a one or two

player game, a coin is tossed to
see who gets first choice of player.
A group of 1 6 kids appears loafing
around a building frontage, and a
cursor is guided from person to
person to make the selection. As
the cursor falls upon each young-
ster, a head and shoulders picture
is displayed, together with details
about their style of play. Having
put a full team together, you can

adjust the positions and batting
order to suit - alternatively, you
can go straight into the game.
Selected teams can be altered to
suit, or saved to disk as required.

Depending on the location /ou
have chosen, the selected dia-
mond appears as a split screen.
The main display shows a close up
of the current action, and to the left
an overhead scene gives a view of

M there’s a real
sense of fun gen-
erated from the
moment that this
“ ““ program has
loaded. The team-picking sec-
tions are quite enjoyable, pro-
viding a background and team
spirit which lasts throughout
the game - and the different
player’s characteristics add a
lot of variety to the proceed-
ings. The only real problem is
the lack of control in batting
mode - the player has no real
control over where the ball is
going, and vital shots such as
punts and ground strokes can-
not be executed. I hope that
the rest of the Street Sports
range live up to the high stan-
dards set by this product, and
I look forward to seeing the
gang again pretty soon.

y Some clever tactical batting

With two strikes already against
him, Cameron’s in trouble

\ ^ I really like the
idea of having a
I non-professional

baseball pack-
age, and this
game’s presentation suits the
idea perfectly. It’s nice having
players that are slower than all
the rest, and even those who
drop the ball during tense
moments! The pitches are also
pleasantly tatty - littered with
debris and having makeshift
bases. Although there’s a
more than worthy computer
adversary, it’s in two player
mode that the game really
comes to life, and I found it
enjoyable and lively to play.
Obviously, if you don’t like
baseball then this Epyx offer-
ing is in the wrong ballpark
completely, otherwise I can
thoroughly recommend this as
an addition to your sports
simulations library.

US Gold/Epyx, £9.99 cass, £14.99 disk, joystick only

■

Would you buy a used catcher’s mitt from these kids?

A normal game is made up of
nine innings and if the scores are
tied at the bottom of the ninth, the
game continues by innings until a
winner has been decided.

Whenever a score is made, the
corresponding information is dis-
played on a panel above the main
screen. This display also includes
details about the current batter
and innings.

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tation and
approach.

This is definitely
one of the best
baseball games
around, boasting
beautiful presen-
a very novel
Each player’s
characteristics are visibly dif-
ferent, and it’s infuriating
when a particularly useless
player drops the ball, or throws
it very slowly. The trouble is
though, when it boils down to
it, Street Sports Baseball is just
another in a long line of
baseball simulations. The dif-
ferent players’ characteristics
and strange settings are
something new - but other-
wise it plays the same as
almost every other baseball
game on the market.

PRESENTATION 94%

Generally superb - loads of
options, neatly implemented and
user friendly.

GRAPHICS 86%

Occasionally lacking in the ani-
mation department, but other-
wise good.

SOUND 75%

Sparse but suitable spot effects.

HOOKABILITY 75%

The timing of the batting takes a
little getting used to but the urge
to succeed is great.

LAST ABILITY 70%

Should find its greatest lasting
appeal in the two player mode.

OVERALL 82%

A fresh approach to an otherwise
jaded format.

LOOK FOR
THE PLAIN
PACK . . .

THAT PACKS
TWO PLANES!

. V.

'W;

■ : , \

■

£ ■

Developed from ‘Double Phantom’
on the BBC, as seen on ‘Micro Live’ TV

Runs on single or linked C64's.

(Link cable voucher with program)

£9.95 Turbo Cassette C64
£1 1 .95 Disc C64

PHONE

HOUR

Locally, or direct, first class post free.

0903 776000

ACCESS/

VISA

OR CHEQUE/P.O. TO P.O. BOX 66
EAST PRESTON WEST SUSSEX BN162TX

FOOTBALL MANAGEMENT

Three Classic Football Management Strategy Games for all enthusiasts. Each of these QUAL-
ITY games is packed with GENUINE FEATURES to make them the most REALISTIC around.

PREMIER LEAGUE

A COMPREHENSIVE LEAGUE GAME - Play all teams home & away. Full squad details all teams.
Injuries, Team styles, In-match substitutes. Named & recorded goal scorers, Comprehensive trans-
fer market 5 Skill levels. Financial problems. Team Taming. Continuing Seasons, Save game,
Opposition Select Strongest Team ana MUCH MUCH MORE' 64/128k Commodore £6.50

WORLD CHAMPIONS

A COMPLETE WORLD CUP SIMULATION - From the first friendlies, qualifying stages, tour matches
and on to the FINALS - Select from squad of 25 piavers. 2 m-Match substitutes allowed, Discipline
table 7 Skill levels and MUCH MUCH MORE' includes a full text match simulation with Injuries,
Bookinas Sendinq off. Corners. Free kicks. Match timer inury time. Extra time. Goal times and

MORE! 64/1 28k Commodore £7.95

EUROPEAN II

CAPTURES THE FULL ATMOSPHERE OF EUROPEAN COMPETITION - Home & away legs, Away
qoals count double (if drawn). Full penalty shoot out ,w >r SjDDEN DEAThi. ~ Skill levels. 2 subs
allowed Pre-match team news. Discipline table. Fun team & Subst tute selection. Disallowed Goals
and MUCH MUCH MORE' Plus FULL TEXT MATCH SIMULATION 64/128k Commodore £7.95

FANTASTIC VALUE - Buy any 2 games deduct £2.00: buy all 3 games deduct £3.00
All games are available for IMMEDIATE DESPATCH by 1st CLASS POST ard n dude FULL

INSTRUCTIONS ( add £100 outside L K

From E A J SOFTWARE, Room C3, 37 Westmoor Road, ENRELD, Middlesex, EN3 7LE

AT LAST!

COMMODORE SPARES

AT DISCOUNT PRICES

CIA

MPU

PLA

ROM

6526

£11.95

ROM

901227-03

£ 1 4 . 00

6510

£11.99

ROM

901225-01

CQQO

906114-01

£9.99

SOUND

6581

£14. PR

901226-01

£9.99

RAM

4164

£2.44

C64

POWER SUPPLY UNITS £19.99

All prices include post & packing, handling and \ AT — send your faults compuiei
and P.S.U. for estimate and repair from £9.99 + parts + \ AT.

AMIGA A500 £539 - A500 DISCOUNT SOFTWARE
SEND CHEQUE/P.O. ACESS/VISA CARDS WELCOME

ELECTRONIC SERVICES

176 VICTORIA ROAD WEST, CLEVELEYS, BLACKPOOL, FY5 3NE

Tel. (0253^1 822708

TRADE ENQUIRIES WELCOME

Send large S.A.E. for full list

DENARIUS

Firebird, £1 .99 cass, joystick only

A n exceptionally vile race
known as the Rignalian
(sic) have strategically
positioned their fleet of 16 space
arks around our solar system in
preparation for colonisation.
Desperate for a saviour, mankind
has turned to you. captain of the
three-strong Denarius fighter fleet.

The action takes place over the
16 vertically scrolling space arks.
Denarius flies over each ark, col-
lecting the chlorine pods which
cover their exteriors. Kamikaze
Rignalian defence craft attack,
and must be shot or dodged. Con-
tact with alien craft reduces the
Denarius fleet by one, with the new
fighter starting at the beginning of
the current ark.

In extreme emergencies,
Denarius’ single shield is activated
by pressing the space bar. This
only lasts for a few seconds, but
during that time the ship remains
invincible. Each fighter is equip-
ped with one shield, with extras
available along the way.

When Denarius has flown over a
space ark, all the chlorine pods
collected are turned into bonus
points and a sub-game comes into
operation.

Gas clouds scroll down the

screen, each incorporating a small
gap through which Denarius flies
to gain bonus points. Denarius
moves further and further up the
screen until it hits a cloud, where-
upon the sub-game ends and the
next space ark scrolls into view.

When all 16 space arks have
been traversed, the mission starts
all over again - this time with dou-
bled defences.

I didn’t enjoy
playing this aver-
age vertically
scrolling blaster.
Going back to the
beginning of a stage after los-
ing a life is annoying and
unnecessary, and in the end I
only found myself enjoying the
sub-game because it’s simple
and challenging. At two
pounds an avid shoot ’em up
fan might be able to milk some
enjoyment out of it, but avoid it
if you’re getting bored with
playing the same sort of game
time and time again.

► As a kamikaze Rignalian whizzes past, the lone Denarius fighter
battles on

Just when you
though the verti-
cally scrolling
format had been
milked dry,
another attempt is made to
squeeze a little more life from
the genre. Denarius is polished,
but it lacks two vital elements
- excitement and novelty. The
lack of variety in the alien
attack patterns is a detraction,
and being put back to the
beginning of an ark each time
you die is extremely annoying.
The bonus game compen-
sates a little, but in the end the
action becomes repetitive. It’s
a shame there isn’t more depth
of gameplay to support the
polished graphics and sound -
as it stands, Denarius only con-
tains enough to give short-
term satisfaction to even the
most ardent shoot ’em up fan.

PRESENTATION 78%

Decent title screen and credits,
but no options.

GRAPHICS 79%

Colourful and effective bas-relief
backdrops and sprites.

SOUND 78%

Stirring title tune and reasonable
sound effects.

HOOKABILITY 63%

Straightforward enough,
although returning to the start of
each stage every time you die is
annoying.

LAST ABILITY 48%

Enjoyable, but the repetitive
action and levels eventually lead
to boredom.

OVERALL 57%

A colourful and noisy shoot ’em
up which lacks substance.

A ncient Chinese proverbs
say that to win the ultimate
accolade of ‘Master of the
Snap Dragon’ a novice must enter
the nine-level Dragon Temple, and
do battle with the increasingly
proficient Dragon Warriors who
dwell within.

Your character begins his mis-
sion as a red belt Karate expert,
equally adept with his fists, feet
and the bamboo pole. As he prog-

It must have
taken a lot of
audacity to
release Snapdra-
gon - especially
at this price. The control
method is horrendous, and
there’s a distinct lack of
interaction between you and
your on-screen counterpart.
You can actually complete the
game quite easily by finding
one move which defeats your
opponents time after time.
Snapdragon is
badly designed and utterly
unrewarding.

resses through the levels, his
grading increases from red belt
through to fifth dan black. A level is
completed when all of its warriors
have been destroyed.

There are 16 available moves,
accessed via a combination of
joystick and fire button. These
include sweeping kicks, some-
rsaults and bamboo combat.

A display panel at the screen’s
bottom contains four bars, repre-
senting the damage incurred to the
warrior’s body, head, arms and
legs. These diminish as the fighter
sustains hits, with a life lost when
one falls t© zero - the bars
replenish themselves naturally if

► Nine levels and many Dragon Warriors stand between you and the

ultimate accolade of Master of the Snapdragon

This is one of the
most unchalleng-
ing games of all
time. All you have
to do to beat
every opponent is hold the
joystick to the bottom left and
press the fire button! It says on
the cassette inlay ’the Dragon
Warriors are clever and soon
learn your favourite move’ -
but they don’t, you can beat
them time and time again with
the same move. Even more
annoying is that after enduring
the tedious action long
enough to conquer the final
level, I was most surprised to
see my man being put back to
the beginning of level nine!
As for the nine pound
price tag - would you
pay that for something you’re
only likely to play once?

the hero remains unscathed. An
initial complement of nine lives is
increased by an extra nine for each
level completed.

An unusual feature is that if the
joystick is left during play, the
computer takes over and the
character continues the quest on
his own. Should the player wish to
step in and take over, a simple
press of the fire button regains full
control.

PRESENTATION 73%

One and two player mode,
pause, restart and pleasant on-
screen layout.

GRAPHICS 57%

Simple backdrops with average
sprites and animation.

SOUND 34%

Irritatingly monotonous oriental
jingles.

HOOKABILITY 28%

A sluggish and unnecessarily
complex control method dic-
tates what little action ensues.

LAST ABILITY 9%

Find the one move which
destroys all opponents and the
g&me is effectively over.

OVERALL 14%

A poorly designed and totally
unchallenging beat 'em up.

f ; r f P|. f!‘t ft* {. n fi f i F-: i i f

96 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

r it r

Sr i f M. . 6-

gp^ kangaroos), ORCOS (fierce monsters
^§p of the planet DEDRON), LEISER-FRE1SERS ^ : Ml
(autonomous search androids, equipped with
gijF^eiescopic cameras and turbo-laser cannon), ^MUfc
rGARKLAS CLjONICOS (specialists in following trails
through the swamp jungle) ... a world full of dangers. "'^0

■ ^ ^ s y a challenge for the brave ...

=-g sh is = l=-^I a challenge only for heroes. GAME OV

SPECTRUM 7-95 COMMODORE,

(Sf»sirio^ 18

987 Game Design Dinamic

give way to no one

AutoDuel is a fast-paced, strategy role
playing adventure set in the year 2030. A
time when the American highways are
controlled by armed outlaws, and when
danger lurks around every bend.

Your aim is to earn fame and fortune.
Compete in spectacular auto dogfights in
true gladiator style — the prize money will
buy you a powerful custom-built vehicle
equipped with lethal weapons, including
lasers, machine guns and flamethrowers.
Undertake lucrative courier runs for the
American AutoDuel Association or be-
come a vigilante of the open road.
Somewhere on your travels between 16
cities are the vital clues you will need to
complete the f inal mission.

Only the most cunning road warriors
are enlisted by the FBI to drive out the
Ultimate evil force.Will you gain honour
and entry into the elite circle of
AutoDuellists?

AutoDuel. Pick up the gauntlet. Avail-
able on disk for the Apple, Commodore
64, Atari, Atari ST and Amiga. Prices from
£19.95.

Based on the award-winning Car Wars
board game by Steve Jackson.

THE JOINT VENTURE IN EUROPE

VO/tlGlM,

s ys TEWS //VC. /

MicroProse Software Ltd. 2 Market Place. Tetbury. Gloucestershire GL8 8DA. Tel: (0666) 54326. Tlx: 434222 MPS UKG

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and

THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS

Domark, £9.95 cass, £12.95 disk, joystick or keys

D aring and dashing, James
Bond is back on the silver
screen in the latest 007
epic, The Living Daylights. He’s
also on your monitor screens in
Domark’s officially licensed game
of the film. Here, the player takes
the role of the man with the licence
to kill, battling his way through
eight levels to defeat evil internat-
ional arms dealer Brad Whittaker.

Each level is based on a scene
from the film and consists of a hori-
zontally scrolling backdrop. Bond
runs along this from left to right,
jumping or ducking obstacles.
Every so often an enemy sniper
appears from behind a part of the
scenery. Bond has to shoot him
before he opens fire by aiming a
cursor (representing Bond’s
Walther PPK gun sight) and pres-
sing the fire button. If the enemy
opens fire Bond loses energy,
represented by a shrinking bar. A
completely diminished bar has
fatal results, and one of Bond’s five
lives is lost

At the beginning of each level
(apart from the first, where a paint

gun is automatically chosen) Bond
is taken to Q’s and asked to
choose one weapon from the four
provided - only one is of real help,
so choose carefully. Bond reverts
to his trusty Walther PPK if the
wrong object is chosen.

The hunt for Whittaker begins in
Gibraltar, where Bond is involved
in an SAS training session (hence
the paint guns). SAS men appear
in the background, occasionally
popping up over the bushes while
Bond runs along to the end of the
landscape.

Levels Two and Three take 007
behind the Iron Curtain. The first
iocation is Lenin People’s Music
Conservatory where Bond is help-
ing a Russian defector. Success-
fully negotiating this section leads
to the Trans-Siberian Pipeline.
This escape route presents Bond
with an assault course of pipes at
different heights, all of which he
has to avoid to progress to the
fourth level.

Back in Britain, one of Whit-
taker’s henchmen has infiltrated
the the safe house where Koskov

With a choice of only four weapons, it looks like the Aston Martin
cabriolet has to stay in the garage

All the fun of the fair, as 007 earns his licence to win coconuts

is being debriefed. He’s armed
with exploding milk bottles and
doesn’t hesitate to lob them
Bond’s way as he battles through
the building.

After that comes a trip through a
fairground. This time explosive
balloons float threateningly
toward Bond. Tangiers is the next
port of call, and Bond leaps from
rooftop to rooftop before reaching
the penultimate level - a Russian
airbase deep within occupied
Afghanistan.

With more henchmen disposed
of, Bond enters the final level -
Whittaker’s house, where a final
confrontation between Bond and
Whittaker takes place ... If Bond
destroys him, he earns the thanks
of the Prime Minister.

Bond films have
always been fam-
ily occasions,
with people
queueing down
the streets to get into the local
cinema. Having looked at
Domark’s latest tie-in, it looks
as though it’ll be some time
before such things happen at
the local computer shop. The
game’s plot follows the film
very loosely, and requires a lot
of imagination if you are to
relate with the characters. The
film’s main features are also
lacking in the computer ver-
sion - where’s the Aston Mar-
tin, or Maryam d’Abo and her
equally attractive co-stars?
The action is very much in the
Missile Command vein, but with
different backgrounds in each
stage to attempt to add vari-
ation to what’s otherwise rep-
etitive and boring. Whichever
way you look at this, there’s
very little here for either the
filmgoer or the optimistic
games player.

This game suf-
fers from a
severe lack of
imagination. It is
quite a disap-
pointment, because all it really
consists of is a dull eight level
horizontally scrolling Missile
Command variant. Each level
sticks closely to the film plot,
but they all play exactly the
same - run along, shoot the
men, jump over an obstacle
and shoot more men. Unsur-
prisingly, this does not tend to
raise the pulse rate. The music
sounds exactly the same as
any other Dave Whittaker tune,
and the sound effects are just
as bland. I’m sure somebody
might find some fun playing
The Living Daylights, but I got
bored of playing Missile Com-
mand years ago.

I haven’t seen the
film yet, and
therefore can’t
really comment
on how strong a
connection there is between it
and the game. As far as it goes
though, there are some parts
that seem very unrealistic,
such as the fact that Bond’s
Walther PPK has unlimited
firepower, he can suffer an
enormous amount of gunshot
wounds before he eventually
dies, and he even has five lives!
It does seem a pity that there’s
so little variation between
levels (short of graphical dif-
ferences), and the game soon
becomes a recurring case of
d£ja vu.

PRESENTATION 67%

Instantly forgettable title screen
and no options.

GRAPHICS 79%

Eight impressive scrolling back-
drops, let down by blocky
sprites.

SOUND 49%

Unremarkable ditty with no rela-
tion to the Bond theme, com-
plemented by barely average
spot effects.

HOOKABILITY 68%

Straightforward action, marred
slightly by a badly considered
control method.

INSTABILITY 43%

The unchanging action doesn’t
hold the attention for long.

OVERALL 57%

An uninspired and slightly repet-
itive Missile Command variant.
Not what you’d expect from an
officially licensed James Bond
game.

ZZAP! 64 September 1 987 99

fragile peace ensues until the year
2555, when out of the blue a ‘C’
bomb is exploded by an unknown
force. The resulting explosion rips
a hole in the space-time con-
tinuum, leaving a swathe of
destruction covering five centuries
either side of the detonation point.

War machines from each of the
affected eras engage in a massive
battle, and as a pilot of one of
Earth’s Thunderbolt bi-fighters,
it’s your task to destroy these
anachronistic airborne interlopers.

Flying low over the landscape,
you avoid ground features such as
buildings, rocks and defence bar-
riers. Contact reduces the plane’s
fuel reserve, represented as a
diminishing bar. A complete loss

► Chronological conflicts abound
in Thunderbolt

Thunderbolt is

remarkably simi-
lar to Uridium. The
graphics are
reasonable and
the sound is good, but the
familiarity of the gameplay and
concept make the whole thing
rather tedious. Shop around if
you’re after a really good shoot
’em up - you may not find one
that looks better than this, but
most will have more content.

The objective of
Thunderbolt is to
W I take control of a
craft, fly over a
two-way horizon-
tally scrolling landscape and
shoot down strange alien craft
until prompted to land. If
you’re thinking ‘that sounds a
bit like Uridium’, you’d be right
- because Thunderbolt is a
shameless clone of the Brayb-
rook classic. The graphics and
sound are different, but the
basic gameplay is identical in
every respect! Moreover, not
content with swiping the plot
and basic gameplay, the prog-
rammer has also copied some
of the attack patterns from
Sanxion and sprites from Delta!
As a game in its own right,
Thunderbolt is slick, polished
and playable - but it’s only
worth considering if you
haven’t already got Uridium.

Chronoclasm Bomb.

The warring factions agree
never to use the device, and a

he warring factions of Earth
and Proxima are caught in a
deadlock, with neither side
having the ability to gain the upper
hand. However, after many years
of intense research, both races
simultaneously discover a weapon
of terrifying potential ... the

Unfortunately,
there’s no com-
mandment that
says ‘thou shalt
not steal some-
one else’s ideas’ - if there
were, Gavin Raeburn, author
of this latest Code Masters
offering, would be in trouble.
His previous efforts were the
highly derivative budget
games Terminator and The
Equalizer - and Thunderbolt
only continues this trend. T ake
Uridium, give it different back-
drops, change the sprites,
knock the playability down a
couple of marks and you’ve
got Thunderbolt. It’s not neces-
sarily bad, but we’ve seen it all
before.

MYSTERY OF THE NILE

Firebird, £7.95 cass, £12.95 disk, joystick with keys

D eep in the Arabian desert,
the evil Bedouin Abu-Sahl
has stolen the priceless
Jewel of Luxor and plots to sell it
to the equally despicable South
American collector Baron von
Bloefeldt.

Loyal Egyptian, Al-Hasaan, got
wind of Abu-Sahl’s plans and,
determined that the Jewel should

a' '

^,’f Mystery of the Nile

is neither engros-

| JHB sing or addictive,
but there’s fun to
be gleaned from
it, mainly due to the stupid the
scenario and awful graphics.
The sprites look like
cardboard cutouts (with
appropriate animation), and
the backdrops look like some-
thing you’d get off the back of
a Shredded Wheat packet. I
can’t understand why this isn’t
on the Silver range - it cer-
tainly lacks the reward and
enjoyment of some of Fire-
bird’s budget titles, which are
available at a quarter of the
price.

stay in its rightful place, has con-
tacted the American adventurer-
archaeologist, Nevada Smith and
his student assistant Janet
Dwight.

Smith has managed to pinpoint
Abu-Sahl’s headquarters to the
military base at Jarga, and it is to
here that the intrepid threesome
must venture in order to foil the

Having loaded
Mystery of the Nile
and laughed
heartily for sev-
eral minutes, I
finally got down and began to
play the game. Infantile
graphics apart, Mystery of the
Nile is actually quite playable. I
particularly like the way that
the characters all shuffle
round to let the controllee take
the lead, and then leap out of
the way whenever a shot is
fired by that character. It’s a
rather humourous game and
should be played with tongue
firmly in cheek. At £8, you
could certainly do with a sense
of humour.

plans of Sahl and retrieve the
Jewel of Luxor.

The action commences in the
bustling market place with Janet
negotiating the teeming stalls and
buildings of downtown Luxor.
Having cleared the initial screens,
Miss Dwight eventually meets up
with her colleagues. Each charac-
ter is controlled independently by
selecting the required person from
one of three numbered keys. The
characters change position so that
the one under control takes the
lead, and can use his or her
specific weapon (Janet’s gre-

► No, it’s not a Radio One roadshow, it’s the high-tech headquarters
of the evil Abu-Sahl

100 ZZAP! 64 September 1987

of fuel results in the Thunderbolt
nose-diving into the ground
below, and thus the end of the mis-
sion.

The shift in the time barrier is
dangerously unstable, making
landing necessary when the
chronologically disrupted land-
scape begins to fluctuate. Suc-
cessfully landing the craft on the
nearest airstrip warps your ship to
the next area of conflict ready to
continue the onslaught.

PRESENTATION 65%

No options and only a basic
high-score table and title screen.

GRAPHICS 62%

Varying from awfully pretty to
pretty awful.

SOUND 68%

Neat effects and an average title
tune.

HOOKABILITY 64%

The action is straightforward (if a
little uninspiring), but the speed
takes a lot of getting used to.

INSTABILITY 47%

The levels only vary visually, and
consequently the action loses its
appeal quite quickty.

OVERALL 52%

A reasonably playable but
unoriginal shoot ’em up in the
Uridium mould.

nades, Smith’s revolver and
Hasaan’s brolly) to defeat the
hordes of Abu-Sahl.

As the threesome continue their
travels, the screen flicks to the new
location where all of Abu-Sahl’s
men must be killed in order to pro-
gress. Every ten screens, a pass-
word is given that allows direct
access to that particular section
on subsequent plays.

PRESENTATION 88%

Humourous scenario and plenty
of options, including a password
sequence which allows the early
screens to be by-passed.

GRAPHICS 40%

Hi-res backdrops and a gaudy
colour scheme give a rather
Spectrumesque feel.

SOUND 67%

Suitably Middle-Eastern sound-
track but few spot effects.

HOOKABILITY 71%

The simple control method and
choice of three characters give
immediate appeal.

INSTABILITY 73%

PLenty of Egyptian locations to
visit, and the use of passwords
simplifies progressiqn.

OVERALL 58%

A comical, but overpriced
arcade adventure.

TRANS-ATLANTIC BALLOON
CHALLENGE

Virgin, £7.95 cass, joystick or keys

C ast your minds back a
couple of months to when
Richard Branson domi-
nated the headlines with his inter-
minable attempts to get a balloon
across the atlantic. Well, now you
have your chance to participate in
this exciting and necessary event,
by taking the grinning beard’s
place and attempting to emulate
his achievements.

The game takes the form of a
two player balloon race between
your Virgin balloon and an
annonymous challenger. Each
player is given control of a flock of
three sonic-beam spitting eagles,
used to guide and defend their bal-
loon as it makes the perilous jour-
ney across the sea. The birds are
also used to sabotage the oppo-
nent’s balloon and reduce his
chances of success.

The screen is split horizontally,
with the Virgin Balloon at the top.
To the left of each display area is a

The effort that
went into

generating public
interest in this
ballooning non-
event was admirable, if not
totally over the top. Our local
radio station covered just
about every minute of the jour-
ney and every telly news bulle-
tin showed pictures of the
floating Cheshire cat. Now
we’ve been treated to an infan-
tile and unchallenging com-
puter game! There simply isn’t
enough in the gameplay to
amuse a player for more than
an hour - all you have to do is
protect your balloon from two
types of hazard and occasion-
ally change the controls. It’s
true to say that the player is
kept busy - but the action is
just too boring and overpriced
to be worthwhile.

status panel containing three bars,
representing Fuel, Altitude and the
eagle’s Energy Status. Also pre-
sent is a map showing the bal-
loon’s position. On the right hand
side are four icons which are acti-
vated to move the balloon left and
right, increase altitude or switch
screens (so that your eagle can
visit the opponent’s screen).

The eagle loses energy as it flies,
causing its bar to shrink. Sitting on
top of the balloon replenishes the
lost calories and the bar adjusts
accordingly. The problem with this

rv *

Once again that
bored

businessman hits
the headlines -
and his game hits
the fan. Trans-Atlantic Balloon
Challenge is completely and
utterly dire - I cannot pour
enough scorn on this patheti-
cally contrived program. The
link between the farcical aerial
escapades of Mr Branson and
this ‘game’ is tenuous to say
the least. Save for the fact that
it features a red balloon with
‘Virgin’ slashed across it,
there is no real connection with
the challenge proper. The
addition of ‘sonic beam spit-
ting eagles’ to spice up the
action is the final straw. There
is some Trans- Atlantic, a little
Balloon, but absolutely no
Challenge whatsoever. I bet
Mr Branson hasn’t seen it.

is that the bird’s weight causes the
balloon to lose altitude! The bird
dies when its energy drops to zero,
and it is then replaced by one of its
colleagues.

Throughout the crossing an
unfriendly biplane flies in and. if left
alone, drops either a pot of paint or
puncture device. If ignored, these
deadly objects cause the balloon

► It’s the battle of the sonic beam-spitting Eagles - and not a lesser-
spotted Branson in sight

QQ11QQ

As if the event
itself hadn’t been
over-hyped to the
point of internal
collapse, here’s a
computer game just to remind
you of the ‘thrilling’ Atlantic
crossing. I wouldn’t mind if it
was a good game, but it isn’t.
The two player mode is very
badly designed, and a game
only lasts a minute or two
before one player’s balloon
plummets into the sea. Playing
against the computer is even
worse - the wally of an oppo-
nent is completely unchalleng-
ing and is disposed of within a
minute. The graphics are poor
and only the title music stands
out as being good. At eight
quid it just doesn’t offer good
value for money.

to lose height. Large missiles also
cause grief and deflate the balloon
completely if they hit their target.
Children occasionally sail past,
carried through the air by bunches
of balloons. These yield extra
points if collected, or remove
some of the existing score if
destroyed.

The game ends when both bal-
loons have burst, all the eagles are
dead or one of the players crosses
the Atlantic. However, scraping
your balloon off the Ulster land-
scape is not recommended, and
dropping the game in the Irish sea
only serves to irritate the
coastguard - happy record break-
ing!

PRESENTATION 74%

One or two player option and
sensible, (if a little unaesthetic)
on-screen presentation.

GRAPHICS 38%

Mostly simple and uninspired.

SOUND 79%

Apleasant ‘floatalong’ Rob Hub-
bard tune plays on the title
screen.

HOOKABILITY 32%

The simplistic action is almost
too easy to get to grips with.

INSTABILITY 19%

Shouldn’t appeal for more than a
couple of goes.

OVERALL 23%

A poor piece of software which
offers little to an intelligent
games player.

ZZAP! 64 Sept 1 987 101

CONVOY RAIDER

Gremlin Graphics, £9.99 cass, £14.99 disk, joystick only

sail from port when things are
looking grim, and has to be found
before the ship sinks. Accessing
the map screen shows the position
of both ships. A notched circle
representing the current heading
is shown at top right, and can be
rotated left or right to change the
current heading. When the repair
ship is found, the ship is fixed and
can continue on its mission.

No sooner have
Gremlin cheered
us up with their
stunning new
release Re-Boun-
der, than they go and bring
Convoy Raider to bring us back
down again. It attempts to be
an arcade/strategy game, but
in truth it lacks the qualities of
both. The three sections are
visually bland, and only the
‘depth-charging subs’ section
entertains to any degree. In
fact, the anti-aircraft section is
almost poorer than the equiva-
lent part in Beach Head, which
is now almost four years old. I
really can’t recommend this.

weapon has its own activation
system, so only one type can be
used at a time.

The main screen consists of
three radars, showing the relative
positions of enemy ships, aircraft
and submarines in your vicinity.
Beside each radar disc is an icon
which flashes yellow when an
enemy attack is imminent, and red
when the enemy are attacking,
allowing the corresponding
weapon to be accessed.

A missile and plane attack look
very similar. The player controls a
gun at the bottom of the screen
and shoots down the flying craft
as they come over.

When depth charging, the

helicopter and submarine are
shown on a representative screen.
A marker moves up and down and
the fire button drops charges. The
depth charges explode at the point
where the marker was when they
were released.

Enemy shipping is destroyed
using the video-linked exocet sys-
tem. The player keeps the missile
on course using the joystick, guid-
ing it towards a ship before it runs
out of fuel.

The ship is damaged if an
attacking craft is not destroyed. As
damage is inflicted, a display of the
ship on the status screen changes
colour from an undamaged black
to ruined red. A repair ship sets

► Your depth-charging helicopter plays a pensive game of cat-and-
mouse with an enemy sub

► Belting along at 34 knots, your Convoy Raider patrols the coast of
a friendly nation

Take a couple of
slices of Beach
Head, add a sub-
standard missile-
guiding sequ-
ence and a touch of the
ancient Depth Charge arcade
game - then half-bake the
whole mixture. Finish it off with
some below-average graphics
and the barest of sound
effects. The result? Convoy
Raider - a bland mixture of
ancient ideas. There simply
isn’t enough in it. All three sub-
games offer very little in the
way of action or addiction, and
the whole game simply
doesn’t hang together. If you
want some salty action, buy
Destroyer instead.

E ver fancied being the Captain
of a modern warship? If you
have, you’ll be pleased to
know that you can now live out
your fantasy with Gremlin
Graphics’ Convoy Raider. As
commander of a modern battlec-
ruiser, your mission is to patrol the
inner sea, protecting the ship from
enemy attacks.

The versatile vessel carries
three types of weapon - Exocet
ship-to-ship missiles, Airwolf ship-
to-air missiles and a depth-charge
dropping Helicopter. Each

Strategy/arcade
games such as
Convoy Raider are
something of a
new area for
Gremlin, and it would seem
that they didn’t realty know
where to go with this idea. It’s
neither strategic enough for
wargamers, nor of a sufficient
quality to appease an arcade
freak. The three main sections
are all fairly derivative, espe-
cially the anti-aircraft scene
which is straight out of Beach
Head (a game which is now
collecting its pension) without
even improving on the basic
theme. If there were a little
more variation within the
game and more control over
the different sections then it
just may have been something
special. Unfortunately there
isn’t, and it isn’t.

PRESENTATION 78%

Well laid out, with an easy to use
! icon system.

GRAPHICS 41%

Occasionally detailed, but in all
the wrong places.

SOUND 9%

Sparse and grating white noise
effects.

HOOKABILITY 38%

There’s no problem starting - it’s
just that the action lacks reward
| or exbitement.

| INSTABILITY 21%

The mixture of old ideas fails to
capture the imagination for more
i than a couple of plays.

OVERALL 28%

An unremarkable attempt at an
arcade wargame.

1 02 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

[

And the fourth, the “Gauntlet cSKSn^^^sbeen specifically
designed for the “World Class Leaderboard” challenge - only those
who can master the testing conditions

of the best golf courses in the world will come near to mastering
“The Gauntlet”.

Whether at novice, amateur or M

professional levels, “World Class vjp

Leaderboard” will challenge you with
the same demanding strategy, skill
and decision making options set
by its real life (

counterpart. M !r A

The Gauntlet - designed to create the greatest test of a
Lgoifer’s true skills and abilities. Few courses combine such a
Searching trial of accuracy and courage, harrowing and
■perilous in the extreme.

Rouno i

In honour of the outstanding excellence of this, the
ultimate golf game, (JLS. Gold have organised a
competition to find the European Computer Golf
Champion of 1987. In every World Class Leaderboard
game there is a scoreboard. Practice your skills, test
your courage and then play your best possible round
on the Ultimate course —The Gauntlet — Record your
best score, have it verified by an independent witness
and send it to U.S. Gold. Novice, Amateur and
Professional - there’s a prize for each:-

I Professional: a full set of Ping golf dubs — “the
ultimate club in the world.”

Amateur: a full set of Gallagher golf clubs — a
superb asset in improving your game.

Novice: 10 free golf lessons with the “teaching
i professional” of your local golf dub.

I When all entries have been received
* — closing date 31st September 1987 — the top
I four players at each level will be called to a
■ central venue to play-off for
■ the title European Computer
i Golf Champion 1987 and
■ receive their trophies
B and prizes.

routH

snap

turn

VftfiDS

HOlt m (
PWR «t

roudo i

JRCK

POUtR

snap

|t CBM 64/128 £9.99 TAPE £14.99 dTsk

AMSTRAD £ 9 .9 9 TAPE £ 14.^9 DISK
SPECTRUM 48/1 28K £8.99 tapf
SPECTRUM + 3 £12.99 DISK

tl.S. Gold Ltd., Units 2/3 Holford Way, Holfotd, Birmingham B6 7 AX. Tel: 021 356 3388

screen shots from CBM 64128 version

XvSxS;:

J ADDITIONAL
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you want in stock. Our Mail
Order Queen, Aggie, will do
everything in her power to
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Apart from saving money
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and painful) delay could be result. Your order might even be lost completely, which would be sad. So deaf with Aggie direct, okay? 6 ^ 009

ii iou. . , me rider is toppled and

the landscape scrolls swiftly to the
next convenient position where
the rider can be put back on the
course. When the screen is scrol-
ling the timer counts twice as fast
as a penalty for the mistake.

Whe t you get bored of riding the
preset courses, the editor can be
accessed from the title screen to
create new routes. When a course,
or series of courses have been
created or modified they can be
raced over and saved to tape or
disk for later use. Now you can
build the most horrifically difficult
courses and challenge your
friends over them - he he!

~ f After being none-
too impressed
with the first
Kikstart (and the
subsequent 128
version), I am slightly less dis-
enchanted with this latest
offering. To say the graphics
have been improved is some-
thing of an understatement -
they’re now very smart indeed
and give the game a much-
needed shot in the arm. Unfor-
tunately, however, the gamep-
lay remains very similar to the
first, and I find it rather frus-
trating and tiresome to play.
The course designer is, with-
out doubt, the real star of the
show, and for fans of the origi-
nal it should more than justify
the purchase of this new ver-
sion. After all, it’s what they’ve
been after for the past two
years.

R ev that throttle, pull a wheelie
and burn across the dirt track
- Kikstart is back with a ven-
geance. This enhanced version of
the classic motorcycling simula-
tion boasts 24 new courses,
improved graphics, tweaked
gameplay, a couple of new
hazards and a course designer.

Either one or two players can
tackle a combination of any five
courses at one time. The screen is
split horizontally, with each motor-
cyclist viewed side-on. There are
five separate timers above each
display (one for each course), a
total time elapsed meter and a
speedometer.

The start of a race is announced
by a klaxon, and both cyclists
zoom off over the scrolling
courses. The bikes accelerate,
decelerate, wheelie or jump,

V ' ^ If you’ve got little

M t ^ patience and are

^ easily annoyed,

then Kikstart II
could drive you
hopping mad. If you’re like me
and love the Kikstart series
you’ll love every minute of it.
Controlling the bike isfrustrat-
ingly hard to master, but the
game’s great addictiveness
keeps you playing and playing.
When you get bored of the 24
programmed courses, you can
design your own with the built-
in screen editor. At two quid
Kikstart combines great value
for money, variety, addiction
and long-lasting appeal.

M k ‘ Jy., This is it! Exactly
’U? what us Kikstart

fans have been
waiting for. The
graphics are vas-
tly improved, with far, far bet-
ter motorbikes and back-
drops. The addition of a
speedometer and slightly
tweaked controls make riding
the bike slightly easier and
more precise - you can now
attain the right speeds for
negotiating obstacles without
the need to guess. The screen
editor takes a couple of hours
of getting used to, but courses
are assembled easily enough
once the designer is familiar.
The best thing though, is that
the editor and game are both
loaded at once - there’s no
clumsy loader involving sev-
eral loads and reloads. Kikstart
II is extremely well thought out,
offering two player simultane-
ous action, a brilliant com-
puter opponent and an excel-

depending on the way the joystick
is moved.

Hazards litter the courses.
Steps and Picnic Tables are
jumped over, and Tyres, Hedges
and Barrels have to be crossed
quickly - however, the opposite is
the case for Ramps, Sand Pits,
Brick Walls, Screen Walls and
Gates. Mud patches slow the bike
down and spikes and flame shoot-
ers completely wreck it!

If an obstacle is attempted

While player one is about to
traverse the garden walling
blocks, player two struggles over
an enormous spring-loaded
platform

Among the many simple obstacles that bar your path, you also have to
run the gauntlet of flame throwers that can turn the unwary biker to
charcoal

lent screen designer for only
two pounds. How can you
resist?

KIKSTART II

Mastertronic, £1 .99 cass, joystick or keys

PRESENTATION 91%

Very polished and user friendly,
with one or two player option and
a well thought out designer.

GRAPHICS 79%

Much improved overthe original,
with lovely use of colour.

SOUND 42%

Reasonable sound effects and a
bland title ditty.

HOOKABILITY 82%

Initially frustrating, but improving
course times is thoroughly
enjoyable and maddeningly
addictive.

INSTABILITY 90%

Twenty-four courses and a
screen designer to keep you
scrambling for months.

OVERALL 86%

Just what Kikstart fans are wait
ing for — virtually unlimited dirt
bike riding.

r m

■$<

r *

77 A PI 64 September 1 987 1 05

)

STAR PAWS

Software Projects, £5.95 cass, £10.95 disk, joystick only

•John Darnell’s finger-licking frolics across the spaceways

A stro-telexes are notori-
ously unreliable - espe-
cially the Series Seven.
Because of this, a message to
‘Captain Neil Armstrong’ actually
arrived addressed to ‘Captain
Rover Pawstrong’. This minor
error means that an inexperienced
canine space officer has been sent

on a mission for which he is totally
unsuited - and the future of the
free Universe depends upon his
success!

A band of mercenaries have
begun breeding the Tasty Space
Griffin, a selected delicacy among
the Universe’s populace and pow-

mw Deep below the ground, Rover must choose between a lamp or a
griffin

erful force on the stock exchange.
By flooding the market with birds,
the mercenaries intend to
destabilise the Universe’s monet-
ary system and then, with Govern-
ments in chaos, they can step in
and take control of the Free
Worlds.

Strong of heart (but weak of
mind), Pawstrong sets forth on his
mission, eventually landing upon
the small moon of a distant planet
where the mercenaries have set up
the Griffin farm. Pawstrong’s mis-
sion is to destroy all 20 Tasty
Space Griffins using only his cun-
ning (and one or two thermonuc-
lear devices that are thoughtfully
provided along the way).

Pawstrong and the scrolling
lunar landscape are displayed in
the screen’s upper half, while
below lies an information panel
showing a list of the objects col-
lected and a scanner giving the
relative positions of the nearest
Space Griffin and our spacesuited
hero. Rover’s energy is repres-
ented by a cooked Griffin, which
disappears with time to reveal the
bony carcass beneath. When the
full skeleton is visible Pawstrong’s
efforts come to an abrupt end.

The daring doggie can attempt
to capture the birds by hand, or
can utilise a variety of equipment.
This is dropped from a supply ship
which constantly whizzes around
the moon. When Rover comes
across one of these crates, it’s

automatically unpacked and the
equipment is added to his store.
The name of the item found is
revealed in the slot below the main
screen. There are nine different
items to be collected ranging from
extra weaponry and transport to
food and a bonus puzzle which, if
correctly rearranged within a time
limit, awards the player with a
bonus score.

Below the surface of the moon,

T he humourous slant in Star
Paws makes quite a
change from the usual ‘life and
death’ scenarios. It’s quite an
appealing game; easy on the
eye and gentle on the brain.
The gameplay is deceptively
simple - what appears at first
sight to be a rather dull chase
game eventually ends up being
extremely captivating, and
addictive enough to warrant
long-term attention. The chal-
lenge is also consistent: no
matter how many birds you’ve
despatched, the next capture
is just as pleasing as the last.
Complete with lovely graphics
and some really smart parallax
scrolling, I’m sure Star Paws
will appeal to many people -
and its mid-range price makes
it a real bargain.

1 06 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

I t’s really nice to see some-
thing as refreshingly play-
able as Star Paws come into
the office. I don’t what it is that
sets it apart, the graphics and
sound are competent but
that’s not the point, there’s
some indefinable quality about
the gameplay that keeps you
coming back for more. Like I
said, I don’t know what it is - if
I did I’d be raking in the dough
designing games for software
houses. Star Paws is just great,
and however simplistic that
may sound it’s still the truth so
tough luck. The greatest
recommendation I can afford
to this game is that it’s one of
the few games we played
because we wanted to and not
because we had to.

A s the first of Software Projects’ new mid-price range, Star
Paws is going to have a lot to prove - luckily, it’s got a hell
of a lot going for it. It’s original, pretty, funny, addictive and
great value for money. Although at first it seems that it’s going
to be easily completed, the going is deceptively tough and
requires constant attention. The graphics are not as polished
as they might have been, and the occasional bug appears dur-
ing play, but otherwise this has been one of the most enjoyable
games in the office for quite some time. I suppose that Star
Paws’ main appeal is that it has no pretensions, it’s simply a
playable and enjoyable game.

PRESENTATION 91%

A novel loading screen, cinema-
tic scenario, rolling demo and
‘paws’ mode.

GRAPHICS 92%

The impressive title screen is a
good taster for the outstanding
scrolling, backdrops and anima-
tion.

SOUND 79%

A racy Hubbard soundtrack
plays continuously - pity about
the lack of effects though.

HOOKABILITY 78%

Accessing the equipment tends
to be difficult and the control of
Pawstrong proves a little fiddly
at first. .

INSTABILITY 94%

There’s four entertaining sub-,
games, and catching all 20 birds
presents an absorbing chal-
lenge.

OVERALL 90%

A humourous and unusual
release from Software Projects.

matter transporter allows Rover to
be teleported to his laser gun
which lies on another part of the
moon. Here he bombards Griffins
from the catapult-style weapon -
once he has found their range.
However, the crafty Griffins occa-
sionally produce a trampoline,
sending Rover’s missiles back the
way they came . . . with devestat-
ing results.

lies a hidden mine with six levels of
passages which are also inhabited
by Griffins. A hidden map shows
the levels and connecting
elevators, and a mining lamp
allows Pawstrong to make light of
the situation. It’s also within this
mine that ammunition for
Pawstrong’s laser gun is found.

Collecting and activating the

Pawstrong receives another special delivery - courtesy of his
Ml personal flying saucer service

Whenever any of the birds are
destroyed the supply saucer
comes spinning down and collects
the corpse, presumably to take
them back to headquarters - they
are delicious after all!

Precariously balanced on his high-powered rocket, Pawstrong
goes in search of dinner

GAME OVER

Imagine, £8.95 cass, joystick only

A rkos, Lieutenant of Queen
Gremla’s all-powerful
army, has become disil-
lusioned with his monarch’s grow-
ing greed and cruelty, and has
vowed to overthrow her.

Commencing in the deepest
depths of the Planet Prison, Arkos’
objective is to run and jump from
left to right across 20 hazard-filled
flick screens. Lifts take him to
higher levels, and sometimes pro-
vide moving stepping stones to
the next part of the landscape.
Arkos can fall off a lift as long as
there is solid ground to break his
fall - but tumbling into void results
in a loss of one of his three lives.

If you cast your
minds back to the
previous
Imagine/Dinamic
release, Army
Moves, you’ll remember that it
was considered to be very
good, but a touch too difficult.
Well, here we go again . . .
Game Over is extremely nice to
look at and great to listen to
(there’s a splendid Galway
soundtrack) - but it’s an abso-
lute swine to play. There’s
plenty of action, but death is a
frequent visitor and once
again you have to go all the way
back to the start of each level
when you’re killed - some-
thing that I find annoying in any
game. Game Over is challeng-
ing, but far too frustrating to
be considered an essential
purchase.

While playing
Game Over, I sud-
denly .twigged
that it’s very simi-
lar to Hewson’s
Exolon. Both feature a charac-
ter who has to battle over a
series of flick screens to a set
goal. However, in this game
the character is extremely
sluggish to respond to the
joystick and has an awkward
jumping action - making
jumping from platform to plat-
form very tricky. Even worse is
a bug where the armoured fel-
low falls through the floor in
certain situations. Even
though these annoyances are
almost unbearable, the action
remains addictive, fired by the
urge to progress. The title
music deserves a mention, but
otherwise there’s nothing out-
standing to warrant the price.
Take it or leave it.

The dungeons are far from
empty, and within seconds of the
mission starting the air is filled with
flying Guardian Robots which fire
at the renegade soldier. Each hit
sustained results in a loss of
energy, displayed at the bottom of
the screen as a diminishing bar.

For protection, the warrior car-
ries 20 hand grenades and a blas-
ter with unlimited rounds. Pressing
the fire button rapidly activates the
laser gun - keeping the button
depressed launches an all-
destroying grenade.

As he progresses through the
environment, Arkos encounters
red and white barrels. When these
are destroyed (by three laser
blasts), they reveal a mystery fea-
ture which is picked up when

▲ Two Guardian robots close in for the kill. Could this be Game Over for
Lieutenant Arkos?

More marshy land is endured
before the 19th screen is reached.
Here, three Giant Robots appear
and have to be shot 20 times
before they’re turned to scrap.

After the clash with the robots
comes a testing trip through the
forest land to Gremla’s Palace.
Here, blaster and grenades are

exchanged for a 25 round laser
cannon, Arkos takes on fireball
shooting Leiser-Freisers and
jumping Kaikas before reaching
the Giant Guardian. This monster
soaks up 75 well-aimed shots
before leaving his post. With that
destroyed, Arkos is free to com-
plete his assassination mission.

Arkos scurries across the screen
just as an attack craft tries to
strafe our hero

touched. These features include
extra Grenades, an energy
replenishing Heart, a ‘Pow Up’
sign which increases his fire power
and a protective Force Field offer-
ing limited protection from enemy
fire. Occasionally a mine appears,
blowing up the hero if accidently
collected.

After the prison chambers
comes a slimy swamp, where fat
green monsters (not unlike Liddon
in stature), emerge aggressively
from the ground. If this marshy
land is negotiated and screen 1 1
reached, a huge mud-gobbing
monster appears and blocks the
route. Shooting this disgusting
fatty 40 times rids it from the face
of the planet, but quick action has
to be taken before it’s rapidly-spat
death phlegm depletes the hero’s
energy.

.ir I Once again you
boldly go where
no man has gone
before, to kill,
maim, and gener-
ally make a nuisance of your-
self. Game Over isn’t startlingly
novel, but does have a certain
addictiveness that keeps you
playing, for a while at least.
The control method is slug-
gish, and the main character
not only looks like a deep sea
diver, but moves like one as
well. Consequently the game
is difficult and frustrating - but
the action remains strangely
addictive. The title music is
superb, but the in-game
effects are very bland indeed.
There are plenty of this type of
game around - so take your
time choosing.

PRESENTATION 78%

Competent throughout, with well
documented instructions.

GRAPHICS 71%

Blocky sprites, but reasonable
backdrops.

SOUND 92%

Great title tune (complete with
sampled effects) - the in-game
effects are rather poor though.

HOOKABILITY 63%

The control method is very con-
fusing - but the game’s addictive
nonetheless.

LASTABILITY 66%

Plenty of action if you’re pre-
pared to stick with it.

OVERALL 68%

A challenging, if rather frustrat-
ing shooting/exploring game.

1 08 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

aiKep
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MORE FUN THAN A BARREL FULL OF MONKEYS

f"* r po£Z Mar t*
dau **rr 0 Z M * m *><t
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Gremlin Graphics Software Ltd.,

Alpha House, 10 Carver Street, Sheffield SI 4FS
Tel: (0742) 753423

xiteo*"' 01

“ssr.

CBM 64/128 SPECTRUM 48/128K

Cassette £9.99 Disk £14.99 Cassette £7.99

AMSTRAD

Cassette £9.99 Disk £14.99

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V I™£1

I W S N

It’s time to delve back into the depths of history- one and a half years ago to be
precise. The items under scrutiny are ZZAP! issues 1 1 and 12 the March
and April issues of 1986. Julian Rignall and Steve Jarratt take a look at

the games reviewed and decide how the software in question would
hold its own today.

■

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s*«r *

Controversy erupted over this
sequel to Nodes of Yesod. Gary
Penn thought Charlie Fotherin-
gham Grunes’ second lunar adv-
enture to be a little too similar to
his first. ‘I didn’t enjoy the experi-
ence quite so much the second
time around’ he complained.
Julian and Gary Liddon were per-
fectly happy though, and argued
until sizzler status was awarded.
‘A truly great game’ commented

Mr Liddon, while Mr Rignall
described it as ‘an excellent
arcade adventure’.

Arc of Yesod plays very similarly to
Nodes, but its great graphics and
interesting features make it differ-
ent enough to be exciting. There
are plenty of better arcade adven-
tures around these days , but Arc
of Yesod still provides a bit of fun.
JR

I only ever played Arc of Yesod, so
I can’t really comment on the simi-
larity between it and Nodes - but
it’s a great game in its own right.

(Jaz) It was rated just right at the
time. Nowadays though, all the
ratings except Presentation and
Sound should go down by about
10 %.

i § M S MMMSm il i Itetili iiSII

(Steve) I’ll second that opinion.

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The only game to reach sizzler
status during April 1 986 was Mar-
tech’s officially licensed game of
the plastic Zo/ds toys. The action
was far from kiddie though, and
the team spent many hours puzzl-
ing over the ZoicTs operation.

Julian’s observation that 1 Zoids is
a game which will keep you
occupied for months’ seemed to
hold quite true. Paul was impre-
ssed with the game’s depth,
describing it as ‘one of the best
arcade/strategy games I’ve seen’,
and Gary Penn followed suit say-
ing that ‘ Zoids is amazing’.

The trouble with Zoids is that it’s

Presentation 82%

A few options and
attractive on screen layout

Graphics 96%

Eloquent backdrops, full of
detail and atmosphere with
equally attractive sprites.

Sound 83%

Some good tunes and
befitting FX.

Hookablllty 92%

Although the game is a
mite derivative it still
proves compelling to both
play and map

Instability 91%

A harder game to complete
but just as absorbing.

Value For Money
90%

Maybe not so worthy if
you've already bought
Nodes But then if you
liked it or haven't got the
original, Arc offers a bit
more for a little less.

Overall91%

An improved version of
Nodes can only be an
example of an excellent
arcade adventure.

Presentation 98%

Very comprehensive
instructions and brilliant
on screen presentation

Graphics 87%

Excellent windowing
system, well thought out
icons, but the central map
screen scrolls wobbily

Sound 91%

An atmospheric Rob
Hubbard piece which suits
the game periectly

Hooka bility 90%

Because it's so tough it's
very tough to get anywhere
without a lot of practice

Lastability 98%

Once you get going,
though, the Zoid conquest
becbmes highly involved.

Value For Money
96%

Merging with a Zoid works
out cheaper than buying a
placcy one

Overall 96%

A very challenging and
excellent arcade
adventure/strategy- shoot
em up

110 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

incredibly difficult to get in to. Per -
severence pays off though , and
once you get into the action
there’s a whole new environment
to explore and learn - the depth
and complexity is incredible.

I slaved long and hard over Zoids
- and got absolutely nowhere.
Although being graphically impre-
ssive and very atmospheric (gen-
erated by the incredible Hubbard
soundtrack), the game was
severely lacking in playability and

was far too difficult.

(Jaz) Apart from the excessive
Hookability mark (the game is very
difficult to get into), I think that the
ratings remain accurate.

(Steve) Presentation, Hookability
and Lastability down to mid-
eighties. Sound up slightly and
overall 88% - not sizzler material
these days.

is that it’s difficult to play and con-
sequently very frustrating. Still [
practice makes perfect.

Impressive animation and realistic
gameplay helped to create a great
atmosphere. Difficult to get to
grips with but rewarding once
mastered - acclaimed at the time
and deservedly so.

(Jaz) Graphics down to the low
nineties, and Hookability, Instabil-
ity, Value and Overall down to the
low eighties. I don’t think it would
make a sizzler today - especially
with the highly playable Street
Sports Baseball as competition.

simulations.’ Hardball was also a
firm favourite with Paul Sumner,
who thought it ‘the most impres-
sive baseball simulation yet seen. ’

Hardball has some of the biggest
and most realistically animated
sprites ever seen. The only trouble

mated figures. Many hours of work
were lost as the team challenged
one another and the computer to a
nine innings game. 'Hardball sets
new standards in gameplay, depth
and animation’ ejaculated Rignall,
and Penn was happy to admit that
it was ‘one of my favourite sports

(Steve) The Graphics were good
but lacked variety - down five per-
cent or so. Lastability, Hookability
and Overall should come down by
ten percent - it’s a good simula-
tion, but ultimately repetitive.

Although by no means the first
baseball game, Hardball proved
popular due to its impressive ani-

I was surprised by how quickly I
tired of Uridium. The gameplay
soon reduced itself to a specific
routine for each ship, which was
memorised and repeated time
after time. Beauty is only skin deep
after all.

MMWMWt

When Andrew Braybrook’s much
awaited horizontally scrolling
shoot ’em up arrived, all work
ground to a halt. The reviewing
team battled Uridium for hours
until forced back to their word pro-
cessors to write their comments.
‘Immaculate in both its execution
and conception’ was Liddon’s
innermost thoughts, and Penn
proclaimed it the be ‘one of the
most addictive and spectacular
shoot ’em ups yet seem on any
home computer’. Rignall’s simple
comment, ‘what an absolutely bril-
liant shoot ’em up’ summed up his
simple feelings.

I enjoyed playing this classic shoot
’em up, but in the end I found
myself just hanging around waiting
to land - the shooting action all but
disappeared.

(Jaz) Graphics and Presentation
down by 3%, Sound down to 80% ,
Hookability and Lastability down
by 5% apiece and Value and Over-
all down by 6% each. In retros-
pect, I don’t think it quite deserved
a sizzler.

(Steve) The Hookability, Lastability
and Sound dropped to high
eighties although the Graphics are
still deserving of a high nineties
mark. Overall to around 90% - I’d
be in two minds about a sizzler rat-
ing by today’s standards.

V W. taiM

fp- w

(Jaz) It deserves every mark it got
- although perhaps the Presenta-
tion should be just a little higher.
It’s a classic.

ZZAP! 64 September 1987 111

Presentation 95%

Well thought out options,
and excellently contrived
joystick control

Graphics 96%

Stunning graphics,
especially' the animation on
the giant size players

Sound 68%

Roar of crowd and a few
jofly (ingles

Hookability 91%

Ease of use allows the
player to instantly become
a baseball star

Lastability 92%

A tough nut computer
opponent and two player
option means that Hardball
will be played long after the
baseball season is over

Value For Money
93%

The second best thing to
the World Series

Overall 93%

A truly realistic sports
simulation which sets new
standards

Presentation 95%

No options as such but
features such as Benson
and the excellent,
atmospheric title sequence
that gets you straight into
the game literally , make
up amply for this apparent
deficiency

Graphics 98%

Fast, effective 3D vectoi
graphics

Sound 67%

Some very good sound
effects, but little else

Hookability 97%

Incredibly easv to get into
since you choose the
action'

Presentation 99%

Slick in every aspect and
many useful options

Lastability 99%

Lots to explore, three ways
of completing the game
and the ever present urge
to improve that final score

Graphics 99%

Incredible high speed,
smooth scrolling
backgrounds, superlative
sprites and exceptional use
of colour.

Value For Money
97%

Just under ten pounds for
an alternative way of life

Sound 94%

Great title screen tune and
highly effective FX

Overall 98%

A classic

Hookability 98%

Highly addictive due to
breath taking graphics and
simple but rewarding
gameplay

Lastability 92%

Fifteen Dreadnoughts may
prove monotonous to
complete due to little
variation in play, but still an
enioyable game to come
back to time after time

Value For Money
92%

Slightly more expensive
than previous Hewson
releases but definitely just
as worthy

Overall 94%

Visually awesome,
sonically sound
technically stunning and a
brilliant shoot em up to
boot

n iii — n il i r, iw

ACTUAL CBM 64 SCREENS

casse tte* (£9.99), disk (£ I 4.99), Spectrum 48K/ 1 28K (£7.99) and Atari ST (£24.99)

t. Hampstead, London NWJ 2PN 01 438 8448

IK) Ltd., Units 3 & 4 Llo/ds Close*, Finedon Rd. Industrial Estate-, We-llmpborouph NN8 4FR
(UK) Ltd

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• M';

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- x ' - ■

■ ■ •

21 (25) PAPERBOY

1 (1) WORLD GAMES (13%) 11 (21) INTO THE EAGLE’S NEST

US Gold/Epyx Pandora

2(2) LEADERBOARD (12%) 12(H) BARBARIAN

US Gold/Access Palace

3 (3) GAUNTLET (8%) 13 (10) ELITE

US Gold Firebird

4 (5) DELTA (8%) 14 (-) I, BALL

Thalamus Firebird

5 (4) URIDIUM (5%) 15 (22) PARK PATROL

Hewson Firebird

6 (12) THE SENTINEL (4%) 16 (13) GHOSTS ’N’ GOBLINS

22 (20) SUMMER GAMES II

US Gold/Epyx

23 (26) MERCENARY

Novagen

24 (-) FLASH GORDON

Mastertronic

25 (-) THRUST

Firebird

26 (-) DRUID

Firebird

27 (27) 180

Mastertronic

18 (16) THE SACRED ARMOUR OF ANTIRIAD 28 (15) ARKANOID

Palace Software Imagine

9 (-) WIZBALL

Ocean

10(5) nemesis

Konami

19 (14) ALIENS

Electric Dreams

20 (1 1) SUPER CYCLE

US Gold/Epyx

29 (-) THE LAST NINJA

System 3

30 (30) CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

US Gold/Epyx

114 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

—

SEPTEMBER 1 987

6 (-) I, BALL(3%j

Firebird

Main Theme (Rob Hubbard)

7 (7) KNUCKLEBUSTERS (3%)

Melbourne House

Main Theme (Rob Hubbard)

8 (6) THRUST (2%)

Firebird

Firebird (Rob Hubbard)

9 (4) GHOSTS ’N’ GOBLINS (1%)

Elite

Main Theme (Mark Cooksey)

10(9) ARKANOID (1%)

Imagine

Title Tune (Martin Galway)

1 (1) SANXION (40%)

Thalamus

Loading Music (Rob Hubbard)

2(6) DELTA (17%)

Thalamus

Main Theme (Rob Hubbard)

3 (3) GREEN BERET (9%)

Imagine

Loading Music (Martin Galway)

• $

4 (5) FLASH GORDON (4%)

Mastertronic

Title Tune (Rob Hubbard)

5 (-) PARALLA X(4%)

Ocean

Main Theme (Martin Galway)

ZZAP! 64 September 1987 115

r.'-i '.-!"

iMM

v; <vS

se Softv^H^ Ltd?, 2 Marke

bury, Gloucestershire

4V»«

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ilili

i£Mm%

$§1$P

JfcaM-i

dventure through a complex and colourful Oriental world of magic, mysticism and intrigue.

Moebius - fabled deity of the island Kingdom of Khantun - has chosen you,
his disciple, to reclaim the stolen Orb of Celestial Harmony from the
irenegade warlord.

M, & ' \ ' ' " : ■

vV - ' ?:.<•, ■- - <•- •— '

Featuring superbly animated martial arts and sword-fighting combat,

Moebius is far better than other Far Eastern adventures. Strategically
and tactically more challenging, this odyssey
takes you through the realms of Earth, Water,

Air and Fipe. The dynamic playfield changes
constantly as you travel across 26 terrain types,
encountering earthquakes, rockslides, heavy rains and heatwaves.

Graphics are top-notch and you can communicate with all the townspeople.

There are 2 distinct magic systems, mixed combat modes and a fearsome
array of enemies. I

Strategy, planning and quick thinking are essential to reach the final
confrontation in this engaging and unique fantasy.

Moebius fills both sides of tw

o disks and is available
rtari 5

Prices from £19.99.

for the CBM 64, Amiga, Atari ST and Apple.

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F R u s e: d

COMING SOON
TO A MONITOR
NEAR YOU

Although quiet since Sky Run-
ner, Cascade recently burst
into the ZZAP! offices clutch-
ing a bundle of forthcoming
goodies. First on the agenda
is Ace II (pictured top and
centre right), the long-
awaited sequel to their
acclaimed flight combat
simulator Ace. Programmed
by Ian Martin, the man behind
Sky Runner (with graphics by
Damon), Ace II takes aerial
combat a stage further and
introduces a split screen dis-
play, enabling two players to
interact within an aerial
dogfight scenario.

Implosion (bottom left) is
the title of the second Cas-
cade release, programmed by
newcomers Joe Booth and
John Cassells. The action
takes place within a high-
speed scrolling alien energy
network, which the player has
to patrol in his speeding
attack craft. Hostile swirling
alien attack formations
hound every move, as the
player locates and blasts
weak parts of the grid. The
game is virtually finished and

While Pilot two is airborne and
waiting to enter the fray, Pilot
one got up late and is still sitting
on the runway

PILOT OflG

pilot one

PLRDGS 02
SCORE
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PLnnes 03
LEVEL 1

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should be reviewed in our
next issue.

The final Cascade release
comes in the form of a vector
graphic deep space combat
spectacular, programmed by
Danny Gallagher of Vektor
Grafix. Ringworld (below) fea-
tures a series of huge circular
Ringworlds — enormous
wheel-shaped spaceships —

o o o dodo o

PREVIEW

Bubble spitting Bron-
tosauri? No, we haven’t been
drinking - just feast your eyes
on the screen shot of the
arcade version of Bubble
Bobble (top right) and all will
become clear.

Addicts of the game will be
pleased to hear that Fire-
bird’s conversion is nearing

which the player enters and
blasts before reaching Earth.
These worlds becomes
increasingly difficult to
destroy, with a gauntlet of
hostile defending spaceships
and gun emplacements to be
run.

Ace If and Implosion should
be In the shops as you read
this, with Ringworld fol lowing
for the PCW show. All three
games will retail at £1 4.95 on
disc and £9.95 on Cassette

attacks the stains and grime
of the school floors, but also
any pupils that get in her way,
who are swiftly removed with
by a well-aimed bar of car-
bolic soap. Cans of Gleamo
are the sanitary equivalent of
a Smart Bomb! Detonate one
of these and instantly wipe
out all the dirt in sight.

On cassette only, Mrs Mop
will cost you a penny less than
a fiver and is due in the shops
around now.

Smarter than your average bear
he may be, but the Ranger is still
too quick for poor old Yogi

If you’re smarter than your
average bear, you’ll recog-
nise the handsome hunk fea-
tured in Piranha’s forthcom-
ing attraction, Yogi (below).
The perennial Hanna Barbera
favourite Yogi Bear has to
rescue his diminutive buddy
Boo Boo, who has been cap-
tured by a dastardly hunter
and hidden somewhere in Jel-
lystone park. The only trouble
is that winter is closing in, and
if Yogi dawdles he’ll automat-

completion and should be
launched at the PCW show in
September. The folks at Fire-
bird reckon that it’s one of the
most faithful conversions
around, containing all 100
screens of the original and
playing almost identically. If
you’re not fortunate enough
to win the arcade game in our
competition on page 44, you’ll
have to fork out £8.95 for the
cassette version or £ 1 4.95 for
disk.

If the school you happen to
be returning to in September
happens to be called Bounder
Hall, you’d better watch out.
Ariolasoft have just employed
a super-heroine called Mrs
Mop to keep the place clean!
Armed with an arsenal of soap
bars and cans of Gleamo, she
undertakes a never-ending
battle against dirt. The man-
iacal Mrs Mop not only

1 1 8 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

yj Life is tough when you work for the Tubeway Army

A '

weapons and armour in order
to continue.

Both games will be availa-
ble at £8.95 on cassette, and
£12.95 on disk.

Get Fresh fans will be
pleased to know that Centur-
ions, the cartoon strip fea-
tured on the program, is just
about to make the transfor-
mation from drawing board to
pixel. The game, pictured in
the centre, is being program-
med by Challenge of the
Gobots authors, Tony
Crowther and Kevin Goodley
and is set for a September
release on Ariolasoft’s Reak-
tor label.

ically go into hibernation.

The game, which includes
loads of chase action and
some lovely cartoon style
graphics, should be in the
shops any time now, priced
£8.95. Hey-heeyyy!

Ocean’s duo of arcade con-
versions, FMK’s Renegade
(above) and Taito’s Athena
(bottom right), are bang on
schedule for their PCW
release. Both are violent beat
’em ups and feature a fair
amount of blood and gore.

In Renegade you take the
part of a street-wise young
man who has to negotiate
some of the rougher parts of
town to collect your
girlfriend. Using hand-to-
hand combat and armed only
with your skills in the martial
arts, you battle your way past
mugger thugs and bikers who
are all out for your blood.

The conversion of Athena
takes a similar theme, but
involves a more strategic
twist, in that you must collect

ZZAP! 64 September 1 987 119

•v00 : '\

rmSootm

GUNSHIP

ZZAP! Backnumbers. All those ageing issues of your favourite Commodore
magazine. There’s something for everyone - from connoisseur to casual con-
sumer. Here’s a quick look at what you’re missing . . .

BACKNUMBERS

No 4 August 1986

No 5 September 1985

No 8 December 1985

No 9 Christmas Special 1985/86
172 Pork-Free Pages! Amazing FREE Double Sided
Oli Frey A2 Poster! Ballblazer Gold Medal! THREE
Splendid Sizzlers! Koronis Rift! Robin Of The Wood!
Temple Of Aphsai Trilogy! Advanced Music System!
Uridium Preview! SIX Pages Of Triumphant Tips!
llnderwuride Map Part I! Archer Maclean AND Jeff
Minter Interviewed! US Gold Previews! Rockford’s
Round-Up! ALL Is Revealed - Inside ZZAP! Towers!
Short Story By 2000 AD’s Kelvin Gosnell! Oli Frey
Profile! 2000 AD Speak! Terminal Man! And Even
More!

No 10 February 1986

116 Perspicuous Pages! Bounder AND Eidolon Gold
Medals! TWO Super Sizzlers! Fight Night! Revs! Deus
Ex Machina! Tony Crowther AND Martin Galway Inter-
viewed! SIX Pages of Touching Tips! Dynamite Dan
Map! Underwurlde Map Part II! Incredible Pictures In
The Compunet Art Gallery! Shadowspiel! Lucasfilm
Interview Part I! Terminal Man! And More!

No 12 April 1986

116 Practical Paper Pages! ‘Julian Rignall’ On The
Cover! NO Gold Medal! THREE Sizzling Sizzlers! Zoids!
Biggies Preview! Game Killer! Programmer’s Egos
Abound - ZZAP! Superstar Challenge! FIVE Pages Of
Transcendental Tips! First Four Levels Of The Eidolon
Mapped! 1985 ZZAP! Readers Awards Results!
Mindsmear Preview! Wild Sounds From Your 64 - Datel
Digidrum AND Sound Sampler Reviewed! ZZAPBACK!
Shadowspiel! More Fabulous Compunet Art! Terminal
Man! And More!

No 13 May 1986

116 Prolific Pages! Alter Ego Gold Medal! TWO Sharp
Sizzlers! Thrust! Super Bowl! Picture Of The Gorgeous
Claire Hirsch! The Daily Llama - Diary Of A Minter!
Infocom Interview Part I! ZZAP In-House Challenge
Guest Starring Jeff Minter! SEVEN Pages Of Tryp-
tychesque Tips! Chimera AND Bounder Maps! Palace
Software Previews! Shadowspiel! Mindsmear Confes-
sion! ZZAPBACK!! Imagine Interview! Index For Issues
1-12! Terminal Man! And More! More! More!

No 14 June 1986

124 Psychedelic Pages! Spindizzy Gold Medal! SIX
Saucy Sizzlers! International Karate! Cauldron II! Star-
quake! Spellbound! ZZAP!TIONAIRE Results! Infocom
Interview Part II! Steve Evans Interview! EIGHT Pages
Of Terrestrial Tips! Doomdark’s Revenge Map! Last
Four Levels Of The Eidolon Mapped! Shadowspiel!
Gary Liddon’s Technical Bit In The Middle! Rignall
Loses Challenge! ZZAPBACK!! Terminal Man! And

I would like to order the following

ix or boxes - , — ,

□ 13D14D15D16D17D 18 D 19

P,ease tick the correct box or boxes...

40508090 1O 0 12

210220 23 0240 25 □

Signature

Charge My Acc ount No:

Please

Name
Card Holder’s Address

, enclose a CHEQUE or

More!

’&>■ AP&i-

22 AP! 64 BACK NUMBERS . •

OUT!

postcode

77AP' It is best to avoid

please *

Expiry Date

Number of issues ordered

Less discount it applicable

TOTAL COST £

POSTAL ORDER for the TOTAL

No 15 July 1986

124 Profound Pages! Leader Board Gold Medal! FOUR
Sublime Sizzlers! Boulderdash III! Slamball! Go For
Gold! Sentinel! Budget Reviews Bonanza! Penn Wins
Challenge! Euromax’s Mouse And Cheese! SIX Pages
Of Tender Tips! Starquake Map! More Outstanding
Compunet Art! Daily Llama - Minter Diary! Gary Lid-
don’s Technical Bit In The Middle! Shadowspiel! CRL
Previews! Terminal Man! And More!

No 16 August 1986

116 Pompous Pages! NO Gold Medal! FOUR Stupend-
ous Sizzlers! Green Beret! Tau Ceti! Infiltrator! Kik Start
II! Controversial Musician’s Ball Interview! Vidcom Art
Package Reviewed! Penn Wins ANOTHER Challenge!
Daily Llama - Minter Diary! NINE Pages Of Tasty Tips!
Cauldron II Map! Hacker Map! Mercenary Map AND
Tips! ZZAPBACK! Terminal Man - Final Episode! And
Even More!

No 17 September 1986

124 Paginated Pages! Roger Kean Leaves ZZAP! TWO
Gold Medals! Ghosts ’n’ Goblins! Graphic Adventure
Creator! FIVE Sensuous Sizzlers! Knight Games! Arac!
The Second City! Hercules! Split Personalities! The
Musician’s Other Ball - Commodore’s Music Expan-
sion System Reviewed! Penn Loses Challenge! Daily
Llama - Conclusion Of The Minter Dairy! SEVEN Pages
Of Topical Tips! Ark Pandora Map AND Solution! RMS
Titanic Map! Masterblaster III! Software Cuties Special!
Uchi Mata Preview! ZZAPSTICK! Chris Butler Inter-
viewed! ZZAPBACK! And More!

No 18 October 1986

116 Powerful Pages! Gary Penn Appointed Editor! NO
Gold Medal! FIVE Sexy Sizzlers! Beyond The Forbidden
Forest! Powerplay! Parallax! Iridis Alpha! Super Cycle!
Two Readers Battle In The Challenge! Greg Barnett
Interviewed! NINE Pages Of Titilating Tips! Tau Ceti
Map AND Tips! Second City Map AND Tips! And More!
More! More!

No 19 November 1986

148 Pretty Pages! World Games Gold Medal! FIVE
Spiffing Sizzlers! Dan Dare! Sanxion! Tass Times in
Tone Town! Trivial Pursuit! Delta Four Interview!
ZZAPSTICK! TEN Pages Of Terrific Tips! Miami Vice
Map! First Four Levels Of Equinox Mapped! Robin Of
The Wood Map! John Twiddy Interview! ZZAPBACK!
And (Believe It Or Not) MORE!

No 20 December 1986

180 Prestigeous Pages! TWO Gold Medals! The Sen-
tinel! Boulderdash Construction Kit! FIVE Superb
Sizzlers! Sacred Armour Of Antiriad! Leather Goddes-
ses Of Phobos! Bobby Bearing! The Pawn! Trailblazer!
Firebird’s Fabulous Microrhythm Drum Kit Reviewed!
TWELVE Pages Of Top-Hole Tips! Jack The Nipper
Map! Zoids Map! Dan Dare Map! Antiriad Map! And
More! More! More!

No 21 Christmas Special 1986/87

196 Promiscuous Pages! NO Gold Medal! ONE
Scrumptious Sizzler! The Bard's Tale! The ZZAP! Lads!
Denton Designs Revisited! Desert Island 5V4’s!
Rockford’s Round-Up! Tamara Knight - Part One!
Newsfield Reviewer’s Challenge! Masterblaster IV!
ELEVEN Pages Of Thrilling Tips! Glider Rider Map! Druid
Map! Hacker II Map! Infiltrator Tips AND Maps! Fabul-
ous Pull-Out 1987 Calendar! Compunet - Partyline
Parody! More Glorious Binary Pictures In The Art Gal-
lery! Tamara Knight - Part Two! ZZAP! Scrapbook! Page
202! And More!

No 22 February 1987

132 Powerful Pages! Over FIFTY Pages of Reviews! NO
Gold Medal! FIVE Stunning Sizzlers! Gauntlet! Moon-
mist! Escape From Singe’s Castle! They Stole A Million!
Tamara Knight - Part Three! SEVEN Pages Of Trium-
phant Tips! Flash Gordon Map! Last Four Levels Of
Equinox Mapped! Mercenary: The Second City - THE
Cheat! Infodroid Map! Kele-Line Profile! And Much
Much More!

No 23 March 1987

116 Plague-Free Pages! NO Gold Medal! TWO Sweaty
Sizzlers! Mutants! Brian Clough’s Football Fortunes!
TWO Powerful Pages Of Hard-Hitting Editorial! Portal
‘Review’! Sensible Software Interviewed! TWELVE
Pages Of Taxing Tips! Camelot Warriors Map! Firelord
Map! Avenger Map! Fist II Map! Dante’s Inferno Map!
Tamara Knight - Part Four! 1986 ZZAP! Reader’s
Awards Results! The Andrew Braybrook Diary - Mental
Procreation Part One! And (Gasp) MORE!

No 24 April 1987

116 Packed Pages! NO Gold Medal! ONE Steaming
Sizzler! Gunship! SIX Pages of Coin-Op Reviews! ELE-
VEN Pages Of Tasty Tips! Tarzan Map! DIY 3D Escape
From Singe’s Castle Map! Nosferatu Map! Aliens Map!
Future Knight Map - Part One! Tamara Knight - Part
Five! Mental Procreation - Part Two! And A Whole Lot
More!

No 25 May 1987

116 Perfect Pages! An Almost Full-Colour Issue! NO
Gold Medal! TWO Sizzling Sizzlers! Into The Eagle’s
Nest! Hollywood Hijinx! PLUS! Ranarama! Nemesis!
Shockway Rider! POD! Sailing! Crucial Compilations
Comparison! T amara Knight — Part Six! Mental Procrea-
tion - Part Three! SIX Pages Of Tremendous Tips!
Future Knight Map - Part Two! Fantastic Oli Frey Pull-
Out Poster! Impossible Mission Past Blaster! Stifflip
And Co Preview! Terminal Man II Prologue! Index For
Issues 13-24! And (Surprise Surprise) Even More!

Update:

Saving young Pas and his sister from the clutches of
an ancient robot leads Cross - part man, part
computer, part virus - to their tribe’s ceremony of
the Searing, a mysterious bolt of energy from space
- the dramatic prelude to the Giving. And by the
lakeside ...

THE TERMINAL MAN

THE LEST TuJO & 1V£L|M&S WERE LEO TO
30 IN THE OTHER ToUN&STERSm

PfIS-IHE
MOMENT
JS HERE*

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TRIBUTE - WHY VO
.THEY WANT US^s

SIS “THE OLPIES
know WHATTHEY'RE
> TALKING ABOUT.
SLiT WHRT LIESIM
STORE FOR US 7 ^

PRINK THE ^
P&moN OF GlVltffr,

^ YOUNG ONES ~ .

- IT W LL PREPARE
YOU FOR THE MOST
GLOR loas *TOURN€Y

b. OF YOUR LIVES /y/

Not F9RFMHY,
CROSS EROOPEP//

UNOB5ERVEP, CROSS MOVJEP To
THE LAKE'S & P&B ANPSLJF
INTO THE WATER vs

fawEer

JK-IK/

[-BECAUSE 1
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THE 0CMPU7E£
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ALL I PD IS ■
STANp RNP
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LET OUR TWELVE , mg

GIVE LIN &S RE30ICE

-BUT,

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fT WHS HOT FROM THE
SEARING— BUT CROSS
PIP NOT REGISTER///

1 THINK

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IF NOT FOURTEEN.'

MET EARLIER IN THE *■■■■■
TUNGLE -THE LITTLE PHWEET SCEMEF 7
TO HAVE ATTACH EP ITSELF TO CROSS

SPLLiT.
NNG i

Chanting Filled

THE NlGKTVx

ZZAP! 64 September 1 98 7 1 21

"THE —

U&HT &IVERS

'1m , . :

> NOW LET'S
30/N THE ^
PAR TV/,,

THE £flNP< 9 F VOUNGSTERS WERE OBUV/OUS
TO THE NEOVJ RRRJVHU ✓✓✓

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/// CHANTING ANP SIaJF'TiNG INI R
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PINPOINT
OF LI &HT-

uRoSS FOUNP HIM5ELF NEXT
TO PRS ANP H/S SISTER^

The craft enter
epthe neuolt
FORMEP ? ool -
gOURNPT'S ENP

nr HRNP./y

-PAS TOO 1
TJOINS in a
TTH1S

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ate ■ j

K ■■ W*

-BNP THE WHINE OF ,
EN&INES FiLUEPTHESKV-

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HRVE SEEM

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-THE COMPUTER IN HIM HR F TAKEN
OVER- IWP9S51VELY ANALYSING

* -IF "THE CRAFT ^
FUNCTjONS, INHY IS
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PROVENANCE
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THEV

COME-'

BY OLIVER FREY

Next Month: Anchor in Space

1 22 ZZAP! 64 September 1 987

The order of the solar system
as kept for thousands of yean
by the people of Zybor was comb
apart Growing dissatisfaction in <
planet bodies increased as th
Zybor reacted in the only wan

ong with the last fragments of his battle cruiser,
Felt the hate and rage surge through his body and
ithin the ice cold compartment of his mind, he
recognised the burden that now lay with

him, that all now depended on he i

■fe - Trantor, the Last i

BL Storm trooper.

SPECTRUM +3 £ 12 . 99 ,
SPECTRUM 48/128K £ 8.99

CBM 64/128

DISK c

TAPE

Coming soon on Atari ST £19.99

Screen shot from Amstrad version

Screen shots from Spectrum version

Units 2/3, Holford Way, Holford, Birmingham B6 7 AX Tel: 021 356 3388

**• f
kl £

DEATH WISH 3

The big screen classic, in
which modern day vigilante
Paul Kersey wreaks his own
form of revenge on the scum
and filth that terrorise the
streets of modern day New
York. For too long the gangs
have run wild, un-
challenged in their peverted
attacks and violations of
innocent citizens.
Muggings and robberies
have become a daily
feature of city life. So
-* when the chief of police
turns a blind eye you
decide to take over
where the law left off.

Strap on your famous
475 WILDEY
MAGNUM, turn your-
self into a one man
fighting force armed
with pump action
shotgun, machine gun
and rocket launcher.

Now turn the tables on
the punks and creeps
who certainly know how
to dish out the violence
but may not be so good at
being on the receiving end

SPECTRUM 48/I28K
Cassette £7.99

MSX Cassette £7.99

tBM 64/128 & AMSTRAD
Cassette £9.99 Disk£l4.99

■ ItfA I

1 v -.' y

S'*

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